Tri-Valley CAREs Strategic Planning Join Us!
Tri-Valley CAREs Comments on the Draft Environmental Review of the CMRR-Nuclear Facility at Los Alamos National Lab
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Posted by Scott Yundt
Tri-Valley CAREs submitted detailed comments criticizing the National Nuclear Security Administrations inadequate Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement of the Chemistry and Metallurgy Research Building Replacement Project at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Costs of the project have already escalated, at a similar rate to those of the National Ignition Facility, to over $6 billion.
This enormous boondoggle project also being constructed to support the development of up to 80 new plutonium pits for nuclear weapons per year. A level that far exceeds simple stockpile maintenance and which is not in compliance with the international treaty obligations or the administration's goal of reducing our reliance on nuclear weapons.
Click here to read our comment.
Click here to read the Summary of the Draft SEIS of the CMRR-NF.
"Livermore Lab- Perception Vs. Reality" Tri-Valley CAREs Executive Director Marylia Kelley's Op-Ed in the SF Chronicle
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Posted by Marylia Kelley
Marylia Kelley composed an op-ed for the San Francisco Chronicle detailing the actual Livermore Lab budget and how it contradicts the Lab's Public Relations materials.
"When I first began monitoring Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a working scientist there told me, 'Follow the money if you want to know what is really going on.' Look at the Department of Energy's 2012 budget request for the Livermore Lab and it becomes apparent that PR has an inverse relationship to budget."
"Some 89 percent of the funds are for nuclear weapons activities. Yet, more than 89 percent of the press releases showcase programs like renewable energy and science that receive less than 3 percent of the spending. This has caused many to believe that Livermore Lab is converting from nuclear weapons to civilian science."
"A major consequence of the chasm between public perception and where the money actually goes is that science at Livermore continues to exist on the margins - underfunded, understaffed and at the mercy of the 800-pound gorilla of the nuclear weapons budget..."
Click here to read her full op-ed..
DOE Inspector General Says Beryllium Hazards Persist at Livermore Lab
Friday, June 24, 2011
Posted by Scott Yundt
The U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the Inspector General (IG) published the results of a major federal investigation this week. The audit, titled, "Implementation of Beryllium Controls at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory" (DOE/IG-0851) was released June 22, 2011. In it, the IG found that "actions necessary to resolve previously observed weaknesses" in how LLNL protects workers from Beryllium contamination. In it, the IG found that "actions necessary to resolve previously found weaknesses had not been completed."
Click here to read the IG's Report.
Click here to see Tri-Valley CAREs Press Release.
Tri-Valley CAREs Files Final Brief in the Bio-Suit Against Livermore Lab
Friday, June 24, 2011
Posted by Scott Yundt
Tri-Valley CAREs filed its "Reply" brief with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Friday, June 24, 2011. This is Tri-Valley CAREs' final submission in the group's National Environmental Policy Act case against the Department of Energy (DOE) over bio-warfare agent research activities at Livermore Lab. Dates for oral arguments are anticipated soon.
Click here to see Tri-Valley CAREs Press Release.
Click here to see Tri-Valley CAREs Reply Brief.
Click here to see DOE's Brief.
Click here to see Tri-Valley CAREs Appellate Opening Brief.
Citizen's Watch Newsletter Spring 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Posted by Scott Yundt
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News You Can Use Nuclear Weapons Budget Overview
Faultlines Fukushima, Diablo Canyon and Beyond...
Five-More Years of Nuclear Weapons Work The Lab Poses New Environmental Threats
LLNLs Bio-labs An Appeal in Our Lawsuit to Stop Bio-Weapon Agent Research
Print Bites: All the News that Fits to Print Good Friday, Other Actions, Anniversary, START Inspections, Pentagon
Alerts 4 U Upcoming Events with Tri-Valley CAREs
DC Days 2011 A Report Back from Your 2011 Team!
Take Action! To Cut the Nuclear Weapons Budget
Join Tri-CAREs at the Livermore Parade on Saturday, June 11th
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Posted by Scott Yundt
Each year, we create a peace and environmental entry for the Livermore Parade, which takes place in downtown Livermore starting at 10AM, prior to the afternoon rodeo event. The Parade is a unique experience and a HUGE opportunity to get our message out to the public. Our entry this year will focus on the choices we make as a society. The theme is: Weapons...or Families. What do we cherish? What should we fund? Our float advocates funding cuts for nuclear weapons and preservation of funds needed for social programs and the environment. We will have a bright orange truck for kids (and elders) to ride in, and lots of balloons, signs and banners for everyone. While our message is serious, our "floats" are always fun and appropriate for all ages. Our kids often steal the show, and we have won a second place trophy 3 years out of the past four. Call Marylia for details, and we will let you know our Parade number, etc. as we get it.
Location: Downtown Livermore
More Info: Phone: (925)443-71483, email: marylia@trivalleycares.org
Click here to read the flier we will be handing out at the parade
Tri-Valley CAREs Comments on LLNL's Continued Operations and New Programs
Monday, May 16, 2011
Posted by Scott Yundt
Livermore Lab recently released a Supplement Analysis to the 2005 Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement. In short, this document (linked below) gives a vague description of 23 dangerous newly proposed activities at LLNL main site and Site 300. These include a proposal to increase the power of blasts at the National Ignition Facility (NIF)to the extent that portions of the lab might have to be evacuated during them.
Additionally, the document increases the amount of radioactive tritium and highly toxic beryllium that the NIF can use. Also, there are several steps being taken to open up part of the lab to collaborative endeavors with private entities and some green energy projects proposed, all of which deserve public input. Despite the importance of these changes, the document proposes that no additional NEPA analysis is needed for many of these proposals.
The first link is to the Supplement Analysis itself. The second link is to Tri-Valley CAREs comments. The final link is to a short sign-on version of TVC's comment. The comment period is now over and we will keep this site updated with responses and any new information. So check back often...
Click here to read the Supplement Analysis
Click here to see Tri-Valley CAREs Comment
Click here to download Tri-Valley CAREs brief sign-on comment.
Take Action to Cut The Nuclear Weapons Budget
Monday, May 9, 2011
Posted by Scott Yundt
Click on the link below to read about ways that you can take action to cut the Fiscal Year 2012 Nuclear Weapons Budget.
Click here
Investigation Finds LLNL Failed to Adequately Control Cyber Security for Classified Information
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Posted by Scott Yundt
The Department of Energy Inspector General released a report today finding that Livermore Lab failed to set up adequate cyber security controls for classified information about the nation's nuclear stockpile. The most unsettling finding was that outside contractors had made changes to one system meant to monitor nuclear explosions without first getting approval from the proper federal officials.
Click here to read Inspector General's Report
Click here to see read an AP article about the report from the Oakland Tribune
Upcoming Public Hearings on LLNL's Dangerous Expansions and Activities
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Posted by Marylia Kelley
Livermore Lab is conducting two public hearings on its Supplement Analysis to the 2005 Site-Wide Environmental Impact Statement. In short, this document, just released on March 30th, gives a vague description of 23 dangerous newly proposed activities at LLNL main site and Site 300. These include a proposal to increase the power of blasts at the National Ignition Facility to the extent that portions of the lab might have to be evacuated during them.
Additionally, the document increases the amount of radioactive tritium and highly toxic beryllium that the NIF can use. Also, there are several steps being taken to open up part of the lab to collaborative endeavors with private entities and some green energy projects proposed, all of which deserve public input. Despite the importance of these changes, this may be the only chance for public comment because the document proposes that no additional NEPA analysis is needed for many of these proposals.
So come join Tri-Valley CAREs and other members of the public to speak your mind about these topics and more THIS THURSDAY, APRIL 14th from 1:30- 4PM and/or from 6:30 to 9PM at ROBERT LIVERMORE COMMUNITY CENTER, 444 East Ave., Livermore.
Click here to read the Supplement Analysis
Click here to see Tri-Valley CAREs Initial Comments
Click here to download Tri-Valley CAREs sign on comment. This can be mailed back to us at 2482 Old First St., Livermore, CA 94550, or faxed to 925-443-0177
Tri-Valley CAREs' Analysis of the Fiscal Year 2012 Nuclear Weapons Budget Request
Monday, March 28, 2010
Posted by Scott Yundt
Dr. Robert Civiak, physicist and former Budget Examiner for DOE nuclear security activities at the White House Office of Management and Budget, has prepared a detailed analysis of the Fiscal Year 2012 budget request for nuclear weapons activities. His analysis exposes the inherent inconsistency of a policy of increasing funds for nuclear weapons with the Administration's purported vision of a world without them. The report includes a number of important recommendations to Congress for saving $1.15 Billion in the $7.63 Billion budget request that would not sacrifice the safety or reliability of the stockpile.
Click here to read our FY2012 budget analysis.
Panel On the Chernobyl Disaster: 25 years later
Monday, March 28, 2011
Posted by Marylia Kelley
Tri-Valley CAREs is co-sponsering a panel of three brave activists from Russia who will present new perspectives, first hand accounts and insights for Japan that they gleaned from witnessing the Chernobyl disaster and living in the area surrounding the facility for the last 25 years.
All are welcome to join us for this very inspiring and informative event, moderated by writer, thinker, activist, and long-time Tri-Valley CAREs supporter Joanna Macy. The event will be held on Sunday, April 10th at 4pm at Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, at 1924 Cedar St. (at Bonita).
Click here to see the event flyer and to read about more upcoming Tri-Valley CAREs events
National Call-In/Email Day to Cut Nukes and Save Non-Proliferation
Monday, March 28, 2011
Posted by Marylia Kelley
On April 5, the anniversary of the President's Prague speech seeking a nuclear weapons free world, please join our nationwide effort to call or write to your Senators and Representative. Ask Congress to restore money to NNSA�s nonproliferation programs and assert that these funds be directed only to programs that secure vulnerable nuclear materials worldwide. Recently NNSA put its plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) fuel program in the nonproliferation section of the agency�s budget request. So, please be sure to specify that you do NOT want funds to go for MOX. Cut MOX. Thank you!
Call the capitol switchboard: 202 224-3121
Click here for more resources about the call-in day and how you can get involved with the Campaign for a Nuclear Weapons Free World
Tri-Valley CAREs and Other West Coast NGO's Monitor Radiation Locally
Monday, March 21, 2011 (updated daily)
Posted by Marylia Kelley
Tri-Valley CAREs and independent scientists and other organizations that own radiation detection equipment along the coast of CA, OR, WA, AK and Canada began taking regular radiation readings as the crisis developed and deepened at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in Japan.
We non-governmental scientists and organizations undertook this project with three aims in mind: as a precautionary measure, as a means of establishing local "background" numbers and as a transparency measure to ensure that information would always be publicly available.
To join the list serv email nuclear_fallout@googlegroups.com. To view the web site that groups are sending their data Click here. Additionally, here, below, is Tri-Valley CAREs' ongoing monitoring journal. We are updating it daily.
Click here to see read on and to see Tri-Valley CAREs radiation readings.
Status of Damaged Nuclear Power Plants in Japan
Monday, March 21, 2011
Posted by Marylia Kelley
Kyodo News in Japan has provided a status report on the damaged nuclear power plant's 6 reactors as of last night.
Click here to see read their update...
Tri-Valley CAREs Comments on the DOE's Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Posted by Scott Yundt
Tri-Valley CAREs submitted comments in response to a Federal Register notice from the U.S. Department of Energy requesting information and comments on issues related to its current chronic beryllium disease prevention program. Because Tri-Valley CAREs continues to advocate on behalf of sick workers at Livermore Lab, Sandia (CA) and Lawrence Berkeley Labs and facilitates its Support Group for Sick Workers, we felt it was appropriate for us to respond with information regarding beryllium exposures to lab employees, specifically at Livermore Lab. If you or anyone you know would like to attend the next Sick Worker Support Group meeting, on Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011 at Livermore Public Library, please contact our office for more information. (925) 443-7148 or scott@trivalleycares.org
Tri-Valley CAREs' comments respond to specific questions posed by the DOE. To see all of those questions, click on the link to their announcemnt in the federal register.
Click here to see the DOE's Notice in the Federal Register.
Click here to read Tri-Valley CAREs' comments.
Tri-Valley CAREs Responds to Latest Nuclear Weapons Budget Request
Monday, February 14, 2011
Posted by Marlia Kelley
On Valentine's Day, the Dept. of Energy sent its Fiscal Year 2012 budget request for nuclear weapons and other activities to the U.S. Congress. This means that because Congress did not pass a budget bill for Fiscal Year 2011 the House and Senate will be debating a Continuing Resolution to deal with the current year at the same time they are receiving next year's budget request from DOE and other federal agencies for consideration.
And, regarding nuclear weapons activities, what a truly terrible budget request it is. The DOE National Nuclear Security Administration wants an increase of more than a billion dollars for dangerous, proliferation-provocative projects, compared to Fiscal Year 2010 (the last year for which an annual budget was appropriated).
To help you sort it all out,
Click here for Tri-Valley CAREs' February 14 statement to the media.
Click here for a bar graph of major nuclear weapons activities, (in XLS) compiled by Dr. Robert Civiak (and check our website in early March for his detailed report).
Tri-Valley CAREs Comments on Proposed DOE Environmental Regulatory Changes
Thursday, February 4, 2011
Posted by Scott Yundt
Tri-Valley CAREs submitted comments in response to a Federal Registrar notice from the US Department of Energy announcing their intention to change the agency regulations that implement the National Environmental Policy Act. "The majority of the changes are proposed for the categorical exclusions provisions contained in its NEPA Implementing Procedures, with a small number of related changes proposed for other provisions. These proposed changes are intended to better align the Department's regulations, particularly its categorical exclusions, with DOE's current activities and recent experiences, and to update the provisions with respect to current technologies and regulatory requirements. DOE proposes to establish 20 new categorical exclusions, and to remove two categorical exclusion categories, one environmental assessment (EA) category, and two environmental impact statement (EIS) categories."
Tri-Valley CAREs comments express some concern with the proposed expansion of when the DOE will use categorical exclusions to NEPA.
Click here to see the DOE's Notice in the Federal Registrer.
Click here to read Tri-Valley CAREs' comments.
Local National Academy Meeting on Fusion Energy (Including NIF) Open to the Public
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Posted by Scott Yundt
Tri-Valley CAREs requested that an upcoming local meeting of a National Academy of Sciences committee be open to the public. The committee will advise DOE on the prospects for generating power using inertial confinement fusion (ICF), which is an interesting way of posing a research question when DOE's National Ignition Facility is unlikely to achieve the ICF "ignition" that is in its name. Apparently, the committee will straddle the awkward chasm between NIF's problems and DOE's optimism (and hubris) in planning a next generation facility. We have provided comments and will participate in the meetings as part of our "NIF truth telling campaign."
We believe this is an appropriate time and place for the public comment on NIF's mission (nuclear weapons), costs (around $7 billion so far) and related topics, including the role of complex technology in resolving social issues like energy generation and consumption. The meetings include two days of presentations on Saturday, January 29th and Sunday, January 30th. On Sunday, the committee has reserved an hour from 3 PM to 4 PM for public comment. It will be held at the San Ramon Marriot at 2600 Bishop Drive, San Ramon. So, do circle the dates, plan to attend, and check the link to the NAS website link below for details.
Click here to see more information and the agenda from the National Academy of Sciences' meeting website.
Citizen's Watch Newsletter January- February 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Posted by Scott Yundt
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We are Suing the DOE For Documents Under the Freedom of Information Act (Again...)
New Start Ratified Modest Reductions at a Huge Cost
Nucliear Weapons Budget An Update on the Status for Fiscal Year 2012
Happy New Year Let's Celebrate Some Recent Accomplishments
Alerts 4 U Upcoming Events with Tri-Valley CAREs
Year In Review- Tri-Valley CAREs' 2010 Accomplishments
Friday, January 7, 2011
Posted by Scott Yundt
Tri-Valley CAREs staff, volunteers and members helped to accomplish alot in 2010. Unfortunately the US Nuclear Weapons Complex continues to grow and receive more and more funding. Our work continues to be more important than ever. Read more about our accomplishments in the list below and let's hope that 2011 turns out to be a watershed year for peace and disarmament.
Click here to read more about Tri-Valley CAREs' accomplishments in 2010.
DOE Sites Found to Have Persistent Emergency Preparedness Weaknesses
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Posted by Lee Torres
The Inspector General of the Department of Energy (DOE) filed an audit report today that found 'significant weaknesses' in the emergency preparedness of several national laboratories that 'could result in loss of life and/or the destruction of government property.' Among the numerous sites evaluated were the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, the Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois, the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois, and the Hanford Site in Washington. The audit was undertaken to "determine whether the Department had corrected previously reported problems." Though management took some steps to immediately resolve weaknesses, according to the Inspector General�s office, "the Department had not fully resolved problems in emergency preparedness planning." There are three major problems reported in the audit: incomplete emergency readiness reports, ineffectual emergency preparedness, and the failure to track adequacy of emergency performance. The reports recommendations for improvements apply to all DOE sites including the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Click here to read the DOE IG's Report.
Tri-Valley CAREs Sues to Compel Open Government
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Posted by Scott Yundt
This morning, Tri-Valley CAREs filed a lawsuit against the Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration for their repeated failure to respond to information requests made by the group pursuant to its rights under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
FOIA requires federal agencies like the DOE and the NNSA to respond to requests for information made by the public, news, or public interests groups within 20 days. Tri-Valley CAREs brought suit because the DOE and NNSA have failed to provide any responsive information to seven requests made by the group, some of which have been pending for over three years.
Tri-Valley CAREs requests information about the dangers faced by our community from spills, accidents, releases and potential acts of terrorism at Livermore Lab. Keeping this information hidden does nothing to protect the public.
Click here to read our press release that contains more information about our lawsuit
Click here for a copy of Tri-Valley CAREs' Complaint filed against the DOE and NNSA.
Federal Superfund Program Turns 30 this Month: Communities Request "Birthday Gift" of Adequate Funding to Clean Up Contaminated Sites
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Posted by Marylia Kelley
Thirty years ago this December, President Jimmy Carter signed the Superfund law. The basic idea then, as now, was to protect community health, the nation's drinking water supplies and the environment by cleaning up the most dangerous toxic sites around the country.
As the Superfund program got underway, it expanded to include contaminated government sites, such as Livermore Lab and other locations in the Dept. of Energy (DOE) nuclear weapons complex. Livermore Lab was scored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), received a high "hazard ranking" and was placed on the Superfund list of most contaminated sites in the nation in 1987. The Livermore Lab's high explosives testing range, called Site 300 and located near Tracy, CA, was subsequently scored by EPA and became a Superfund site in 1990.
One of the philosophical and practical premises of Superfund is the idea that the "polluter pays." At federal government sites, like Livermore Lab, the money to complete cleanup is requested as part of the annual appropriations process. The problems occur when DOE fails to request enough funds to do the job and/or when Congress fails to appropriate enough. At privately-owned, for-profit Superfund cleanup sites, the funding works differently; in essence corporations must ante up out of their profits. Hence the term "Superfund."
Yet, key provisions have been allowed to sunset, and the Superfund Program faces bankruptcy. The crisis is both moral and fiscal. On this 30th anniversary of the Superfund law, community groups in 25 states (including CA's Tri-Valley CAREs) have banded together to call on Congress to save Superfund, in part by reinstating the "polluter pays" fees. The groups are requesting reinstatement of one of the fees in particular, the Corporate Environmental Income Tax. This was paid by companies with $2 million or more in profits and it totaled $12 on every $10,000. This is not too much to ask for our families' health and our environment.
Click here to read more
Click here for a copy of Tri-Valley CAREs' Superfund petition to ensure adequate funds for cleanup at Livermore Lab.
Click here for a copy of the letters Tri-Valley CAREs is sending the first week of December to Senator Boxer.
Click here for a copy of the letters Tri-Valley CAREs is sending the first week of December to Senator Feinstein.
Citizen's Watch Newsletter November- December 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Posted by Scott Yundt
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A Letter of Thanks To All Who Have Supported Our Work in 2010
Bio-Suit Appeal to the 9th Circuit
Our Petition To Clean Up Contamination in Livermore
Nuclear Extortion For New START Ratification
Lab Management Fined For Exposing More Workers to Beryllium
Alerts 4 U Upcoming Events with Tri-Valley CAREs
Tri-Valley CAREs Settles Freedom of Information Act Litigation with the Department of Energy
Friday, November 19, 2010
Posted by Scott Yundt
At Tri-Valley CAREs, we rely on many tools to monitor activities at Livermore Lab and across the US nuclear weapons complex. Chief among them is the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), a statute that provides that any member of the public or organization can request documents from the federal government, including federal agencies, and requires production of the documents within 20 days of the request (unless the documents are exempt from release pursuant to narrow exemptions set out in the statute).
After two years of litigation in Federal Court against the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for violation of their responsibilities under FOIA, Tri-Valley CAREs has finally reached a settlement with the agency. The Complaint alleged that the DOE had failed to respond to six of Tri-Valley CAREs' request with any responsive documents and had displayed a pattern of violating FOIA. (Some of the requests had languished for over a year without any responsive documents). Because of our litigation, documents were finally produced in response to all of our requests.
Click here to read more
Tri-Valley CAREs Asks for a Broader Environmental Review For New Plutonium Plant at Los Alamos National Lab
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Posted by Marylia Kelley
Click here to read our Scoping Comments on the the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statment on the Chemestry and Metallurgy Research Replacement- Nuclear Facility (CMRR) at Los Alamos National Laboratory.
NNSA Announces Milestone in Removal of Special Nuclear Material from Livermore Lab
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Posted by Scott Yundt
Today, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announced that it has removed 80% of the Special Nuclear Material from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and is on target to meet the 2012 target date for removal of the remaining material. While not stated in its press release, the removal of this material is largely due to Tri-Valley CAREs advocacy and NNSA's finding that LLNL can not keep the material safe and secure in a faciltiy with such dense population up to its gate. Unfortunately, most of this material is being shipped to other sites in the nuclear weapons complex contrary to Tri-Valley CAREs hopes.
We will keep you updated on how the deinventory process proceeds.
Click here to read NNSA's Press Release
Livermore Lab Management Fined for Violating Worker Protection Laws and Exposing Workers to Toxic Beryllium Metal on Multiple Occasions
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Posted by Scott Yundt
Today, the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Health, Safety and Security (HSS) announced a $200,000 penalty issued to the managers of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). This unprecedented action stems from the agency's finding that the Livermore Lab National Security, LLC's (LLNS) legally-required program to minimize worker exposure to beryllium was rife with "deficiencies" that led to multiple, uncontrolled worker exposures between 2007 and 2010, subsequent to the LLNS contract to manage the nuclear weapons laboratory.
Tri-Valley CAREs has obtained a copy of the Order mandating payment of the fine, which is signed by DOE HSS Director, John Boulden, DOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) head, Tom D'Agostino, and LLNL Director George Miller.
Click here to read more
Click here to read a Los Angeles Times article about the fine
Click here read the Consent Order
Tri-Valley CAREs Presents...
Monday, November 1, 2010
Posted by Marylia Kelley
Tri-Valley CAREs' Marylia Kelley and Jay Coghlan of Nuclear Watch New Mexico co-presented at a 2-day workshop October 28-29 in Washington, DC. The workshop focused on the elimination of nuclear weapons in the U.S. It was hosted by Robert Alvarez, a former Senate and DOE staffer and a senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies. Kelley and Coghlan' presentation addressed the proposed "modernization" of the U.S. nuclear weapons complex and arsenal as well as possible strategic paths forward toward disarmament amidst the complexities of the Obama Administration and current Congress.
Click here to view the slides of the presentation
Tri-Valley CAREs Participates in National Dialogue to Improve Environmental Cleanup at Federal Facilities
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Posted by Marylia Kelley
Tri-Valley CAREs' Executive Director, Marylia Kelley, was invited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to participate in a national "Federal Facilities Cleanup Dialogue" aimed at improving the openness and quality of cleanup programs at contaminated facilities owned by the Departments of Energy and Defense. The meeting was held in Washington, DC on October 19 and 20.
Click here to read more...
Click here to read more about it in Defense Environment Alert
Congress Unanimously Passes Second Annual Day of Remembrance for Nuclear Program Workers
Monday, October 25, 2010
Posted by Scott Yundt
Congress has again designated October 30th as the National Day of Remembrance for Nuclear Weapons Program Workers. It is estimated that over 600,000 people worked in the nuclear weapons industry; from the mining, milling and hauling of uranium, to the development, production and testing of nuclear weapons. 80,000 seriously ill former Department of Energy workers have applied for compensation and health care benefits from the Energy Employee Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA), (a federal program) because their illnesses are due to on the job exposures to radiation and toxins.
We urge you to take pause on Saturday, October 30th and reflect on the human cost of this very dirty business. Locally, there are nearly 1500 former Livermore Lab employees, and 160 Sandia employees who have applied for EEOICPA benefits (or their survivors applied). With the ongoing worker exposures to beryllium and other dangerous substances at Livermore Lab, this number is sure to continue to grow.
Tri-Valley CAREs' Staff Attorney Scott Yundt continues to facilitate the LLNL, SNL, LBNL Sick Worker Support Group which meets at least twice a year at the Livermore Library. He also assists individual workers in their claims for benefits under the EEOICPA. He can be contacted at the Tri-Valley CAREs office by calling (925) 443-7148 or by email at scott@trivalleycares.org
Click here to read about ceremonies and gatherings to recognize nuclear weapons workers around the country.
Click here to add your name to the electronic petition to reform the EEOICPA.
The Government's Public Meeting: A Portrait in Pen and Ink
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Posted by Marylia Kelley
On October 7, 2010, the Dept. of Energy and Livermore Lab held a long-overdue public meeting on their plan to clean up the "leading edge" of the toxic groundwater plume that has migrated westward from Livermore Lab and is now under suburban homes, apartments, streets, a city park and a community swimming pool.
We have written elsewhere about the details of the contamination (see, for example, the special section in our September/October 2010 newsletter, Citizen's Watch, our Superfund petition to improve the cleanup and its funding, and our earlier blog of September 22, 2010).
Here, we offer a small portrait of the meeting itself, including the Lab's presentation and the community's response.
Click here to read more...
The National Ignition Facility's Missed Milestone; or, What Do You Call a "Credible Ignition" Experiment That is Neither Credible Nor Ignition?
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Posted by Marylia Kelley
For starters, the NIF has already cost taxpayers around $7 billion (instead of the $1 billion estimate originally given to Congress). And, the Dept. of Energy (DOE) and Livermore Lab management promised NIF would achieve nuclear ignition (a self sustaining fusion reaction) and gain (more energy out than was put in) by 2003.
That milestone was then stretched to fiscal year 2010, which ended on Sept. 30th. As the deadline approached, DOE and the Lab began walking that commitment back to what it began calling a "credible ignition experiment." The DOE National Nuclear Security Administration head Tom D'Agostino defined it as such in a 2010 congressional hearing: "And, credible means we have no reason to believe it is not going to work."
Baloney. The Lab knew. And, Tom knew (or did not want to know). So, what did we actually get for our money?
Click here to read more...
Click here for the NNSA October 6th press release
Click here for Tri-Valley CAREs' analysis of the NNSA FY 2011 Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan, including NIF
Tri-Valley CAREs Plans Community Meeting on, "Toxics, Radiation, Superfund & the Livermore Lab"
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Posted by Marylia Kelley
On Thursday, September 30th from 7pm-8pm, Tri-Valley CAREs will facilitate a community meeting at Janis Kate's home at 749 Hazel St. in Livermore. Her home is located near the off-site toxic waste plume emanating from Livermore Lab.
The keynote speaker will be environmental scientist Peter Strauss, who serves as Tri-Valley CAREs' advisor on the Superfund cleanup. Come and learn about the contaminants, the off-site plume, the proposed cleanup options, the Superfund law, and what you can do to help win justice for the people of Livermore and our local environment.
At the end of the meeting, we will offer a short "field trip" to the nearby Big trees Park. There, you can see one of Livermore Lab's contaminant pumping wells, several of the Lab's monitoring wells and two proposed pipeline routes for contaminated groundwater.
Click here to see our event flier
Click here to see our Comment on Livermore Lab's plan to deal with the leading edge of the contaminated groundwater plume.
Citizen's Watch Newsletter September- October 2010
Friday, September 17, 2010
Posted by Scott Yundt
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Remembering Hiroshima Day in Livermore
Planning Together Tri-Valley CAREs Strategic Planning Retreat 2010
NNSA's Fiscal Year 2011 PlanNukes, NIF and Your Money
Print BitesAll the News that Fits to Print
Alerts 4 U Upcoming Events with Tri-Valley CAREs
Tri-Valley CAREs' Staff Attorney Goes to DC to Advocate for Sick Workers
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Posted by Scott Yundt
Tri-Valley CAREs' Staff Attorney, Scott Yundt, spent three days in in our nation's capital last week with two objectives: 1) to participate in the Alliance of Nuclear Worker Advocacy Groups (ANWAG)/Cold War Patriots' leadership conference on behalf of the Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL) and Sandia Livermore National Lab (SNL) Sick Worker Support Group for workers made ill by on-the-job exposures, and, 2)to meet with members of Congress to advocate major changes to the Federal law intended to compensate sick and dying nuclear weapons complex workers and their families.
Click here to read more
Click here to read the Press Release
The New Nevada Test Site Name in Context
Monday, August 23, 2010
Posted by Marylia Kelley
On August 23, 2010, United Press International ran a short article describing a ceremony at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). The ceremony was held by the NTS owner, which is the U.S. Dept. of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.
The occasion? Not its closing as an active part of the nuclear weapons complex, although that would have been appropriate.
Click here to read more
August 6th Action at Livermore Lab- 65 years since the bombings of Hiroshima
Friday, August 6, 2010
Posted by Scott Yundt
August 6th, 2010 marked the 65th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan. Three days later, a second bomb was dropped on the city of Nagasaki.
Around 250 people joined Tri-Valley CAREs and other colleague groups in a commemoration and rally at the gates of the Livermore nuclear weapons laboratory. We were joined by Takashi Tanemori, a survivor of the Hiroshima bombing, who shared with us his story of the how the bomb affected his life and lead him to develop a personal philosophy of forgiveness.
We were also inspired by the poetry of Kayla Marin, driven to action by the information of Tri-Valley CAREs Staff Attorney Scott Yundt, and made to think with the commentary of Norman Soloman.
Our sincere thanks to all who participated in making this years event so successful.
Click here to read Scott Yundt's words from the rally
Click here to read more about the pre-event information
Click here to see the event flier.
Click here to see photos of the event
"Countdown to Zero" Continues to Show in the Bay Area Theaters
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Posted by Scott Yundt
COUNTDOWN TO ZERO is a 90-minute film that traces the history of the atomic bomb from its origins to the present
state of global affairs: nine nations possess nuclear weapons capabilities with others racing to
join them, with the world held in a delicate balance that could be shattered by an act of failed
diplomacy, terrorism, or a simple accident. Countdown to Zero makes a compelling case for
worldwide nuclear disarmament and creates an opportunity to bring this issue to kitchen tables
in households around the country. Tri-Valley CAREs no longer has free tickets available. But tickets can be purchased at the theaters showing the film in Berkeley and San Francisco. Don't miss it, and bring your friends!
Click here to get some additional context before you see the film.
Click here for more information about where to see the film.
GAO Investigates (and criticizes) the DOE's Cost Estimates For Future Budget Increases
Monday, July 26, 2010
Posted by Iti Talwar
A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report titled, Actions Needed to Identify Total Costs of Weapons Complex Infrastructure and Research and Production Capabilities found that The Department of Energy's (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) lacks the information that would help justify its planned FY 2011 (and beyond) budget increase. The GAO further found that the NNSA itself does not know the actual total costs to maintain the facilities and can't provide accurate budget information to Congress.
Click here to read more
Click here to read the GAO Report.
Citizen's Watch Newsletter Summer 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Posted by Scott Yundt
Read Online
PDF Download
Report Out Non-Proliferation Treaty Conference
August 6 Action at LLNL The Power of Your Presence
Print BitesAll the News that Fits to Print
Alerts 4 U Upcoming Events with Tri-Valley CAREs
Internal DOE Document Reveals Different Nuclear Weapons Plans than the Agency's Public Pronouncements
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Posted by Marylia Kelley
The Fiscal Year 2011 Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan obtained recently by Tri-Valley CAREs, reveals the U.S. Dept. of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) internal plans to: 1) abandon promised science and "ignition and gain" at Livermore Lab NIF mega-laser; 2) jack up funding for nuclear weapon "life extensions" beyond what the facts justify, and; 3) escalate bomb budgets through 2030 despite lip service to Obama disarmament goals.
Click here to see our press release and analysis
Click here to read the Fiscal Year 2011 Stockpile Stewardship and Management Plan.
Click here to read Annex A to the Report.
Click here to read Annex D to the Report.
Take Action for the New Start Treaty
Friday, July 9, 2010
Posted by Marylia Kelley
In April, Presidents Obama and Medvedev signed New START (Strategic Arms Reductions Treaty). Both countries are proceeding with ratification processes. In the U.S., the treaty was transmitted to the Senate in mid-May.
Also transmitted to the Senate was a classified report containing the Administration's plan, as required by the defense bill, to "modernize the nuclear weapons complex." The White House released a one-page unclassified summary of the plan, which shows the budget for nuclear weapons activities continuing to escalate (from the present year's $6.4 billion to the 2011 request of $7 billion, and continuing upwards each year to $9 billion in 2018).
The New START is a modest but important treaty, and it should be ratified. On the other hand, increases in the nuclear weapons budget and "modernization" of the arsenal and the complex (i.e., new bomb plants) must be opposed.
We at Tri-Valley CAREs will continue to follow the path of supporting ratification of the New START treaty without attaching "conditions" that would undermine its arms control value, and we invite our readers to sign the petition in the right hand column under "Take Action Now!" to show the US Senate there is public support for New Start.
Report Back from Department of Labor "Town Hall" Meetings for Sick Workers in Livermore
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Posted by Scott Yundt
On Tuesday, June 29 the Department of Labor held two "Town Hall" meetings in Livermore to address former workers of Livermore Lab who have been made ill by on the job related exposure to radiation, and/or toxic substances. The DOL wanted to update these workers on recent changes that could affect their eligibility for monetary and health care benefits from the Energy Employee Occupation Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA). On May 10, 2010 a newly expanded Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) for Livermore Lab employees was added to EEOICPA that simplifies the process by which causation is established. Thus, if you worked at LLNL for at least 250 work days between January 1, 1950 through December 31, 1973 and have been diagnosed with one of the 22 cancers on the approved list of cancers, you will be approved for $150,000 and health care coverage (whether you were issued a dosemeter or not).
Click here to read more...
Click here to view the DOL's slides from the presentation.
Tri-Valley CAREs at the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Posted by Marylia Kelley
Tri-Valley CAREs' Executive Director Marylia Kelley and long-time member Joanne Dean-Freemire spent the early part of May 2010 at the UN in New York City, participating on our members' behalf at the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) review conference (held every 5 years). The NPT remains the "cornerstone" of international disarmament and nonproliferation efforts, and, the 2010 conference was especially important following the widely acknowledged failure to achieve progress towards disarmament goals at the 2005 review.
In the days before the 2010 review conference opened, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from around the world gathered for their own conference to share information, strategize, and come up with NGO goals for the pending review, the larger NPT framework, and the future of citizen action to achieve global nuclear disarmament. Highlights of the NGO conference included amazing plenary sessions and workshops with NGO experts and a keynote address by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Click here to read more and for links to NPT related documents.
Congressionally ordered Sustainable Defense Task Force recommends a $26 billion decrease in US nuclear program over next 10 years
Tuesday, June 11, 2010
Posted by Marylia Kelley
"Debt, Deficits, and Defense: A Way Forward" is a report by the Sustainable Defense Task Force, which was formed in response to a request from Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) and several congressional colleagues.
While the majority of the report deals with U.S. Defense Department spending, it also touches on some of the Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration issues as well. Here, the report wisely recommends reducing spending on nuclear weapons activities by $26 billion over the next ten years.
To accomplish these savings, the report suggests curtailing construction of three costly, proposed nuclear weapons facilities; a new plutonium pit (bomb core) factory at Los Alamos in NM, a new uranium processing facility at Y-12 in TN, and a new Kansas City Plant in MO to manufacture the non-nuclear components found in nuclear weapons. The report further recommends foregoing a planned "upgrade" to the B61 nuclear bombs currently deployed in Europe.
Click here to read more and for the Report.
The Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) and Tri-Valley CAREs: 2010 Update
Monday, June 7, 2010
Posted by Iti Talwar
Tri-Valley CAREs (TVC) uses the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to monitor activities at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and the U.S. nuclear weapons complex more broadly. FOIA requires agencies to produce documents in their possession related to a request to any member of the public or organization unless the information is exempt from disclosure.
This year, TVC's FOIA Officer (and board member), Iti Talwar, has sent numerous FOIA requests to the National Nuclear Security Administration, an agency within the Department of Energy (DOE) in charge of the nuclear weapons complex, requesting documents concerning various ongoing activities at LLNL. We have requested documents concerning: 1) a 2009 audit of the Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program at LLNL; 2) a recent beryllium industrial hygiene exposure at LLNL; 3) an audit of the financial cost transfers at LLNL; and 4) LLNL's Institutional Bio-safety Committee minutes at LLNL.
Click here to read more about our current FOIA litigation and to see these recent requests.
Illustrious and Informative Multi-Country Report On Nuclear Disarmament Relies On 2009 Report Prepared In Part By Tri-Valley CAREs
Monday, May 24, 2010
Posted by Scott Yundt
A recent report by the International Panel on Fissile Material (IPFM) entitled, "Country Perspectives on the Challenges to Nuclear Disarmament" gives an excellent overview of the potential paths and road blocks facing the global disarmament effort. The report examines disarmament from the perspective of various countries. It looks at China, France, Germany, India, Iran, Israel, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Pakistan, Russia, United Kingdom and the United States. For the section on disarmament and the United States, the report relies on the 2009 report about consolidation of the U.S. nuclear-weapon design and production infrastructure as the nuclear weapons arsenal is sharply reduced, prepared by the non-governmental Nuclear Weapons Complex Consolidation Policy Network (which includes Tri-Valley CAREs).
Overall this report does an excellent job of providing an overview of the global political climate around disarmament. It is worth a read for anyone interested in the issue.
Click here to read the entire IPFM report.
Click here to read just the United States section of the report.
Thank You Representatives Garamendi, Lee, McNerney and Miller for Advocating for "Stimulus Funds" for LLNL Cleanup!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Posted by Scott Yundt
Citizen's Watch Newsletter Spring 2010
Tuesday, May 5, 2010
Posted by Scott Yundt
Read Online
PDF Download
New START A Hopeful Sign but will Ratification be Costly?
Tri-Valley CARES and the NPT Influencing the Cornerstone of the global nonproliferation regime.
Report Back From Your DC Days TeamAdvocating for Our Members.
National Week of Action on the Nuclear Weapons Budget! Cut the Nuclear Pork- May 31st to June 5th
The Nuclear Posture Review Our New Guiding Nuclear Weapons Policy- Some Cheers and Jeers
Alerts 4 U Upcoming Events with Tri-Valley CAREs
