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“Something majorly wrong is happening in our oceans”

“Worst Ever”: Alarm over shocking crash of salmon population in Pacific Northwest — “Very frightening… Pathetic… Grave… Disastrous… Non-existent” — Official calls for immediate government action — “Something majorly wrong is happening in our oceans” (VIDEOS)

 Published: November 18th, 2015 at 6:38 pm ET

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http://enenews.com/worst-alarm-shocking-collapse-salmon-population-pacific-northwest-existent-pathetic-grim-disturbing-grave-danger-official-calls-immediate-government-action-majorly-wrong-happening-oceans-vide?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29

Globe and Mail, Nov 12, 2015 (emphasis added): The collapse of major salmon runs in B.C. this fall… prompted First Nations to request “an urgent meeting” with newly appointed federal Fisheries Minister Hunter Tootoo. Chief Bob Chamberlin, chair of the First Nations Wild Salmon Alliance, said the disappearance of millions of pink salmon headed for the Fraser and thecollapse of the Adams River sockeye run underscore the need for immediate government action. “Only about 2,000 fish made it back to the Adams River*. That’s supposed to be one of the biggest, most precious runs of sockeye in the world,” he said Thursday. About 1.2 million sockeye were forecast to return to the Adams… No explanations for the failure of the runs to materialize have been given by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans… Mr. Chamberlin said… “This year’s runs have made it abundantly clear that our salmon stocks are in grave danger“…

Globe and Mail, Nov 4, 2015: British Columbia’s iconic Adams River salmon run…appears to have collapsed… Jim Cooperman, president of the Shuswap Environmental Action Society, said thespawning beds… are empty this fall… “It’spretty grim here at the Adams River … it’s quite depressing here really.”… Because the fish mature at four years of age, the runs are on a cycle, which means each one usually reflects the progenitor run that occurred four years before [i.e. 2011]… it is the worst return ever on that cycle; the next lowest year was 1939, when 16,000 fish came back. Mr. Cooperman said the small return represents “a very frightening crash,” and two successive poor years should set off alarm bells…

Salmon Arm Observer, Oct 27, 2015: Sockeye numbers shockingly low… South Thompson sockeye run has been disastrous… No late-run sockeye were observed in upper Adams…Four years ago, late-run salmon were in the millions, sparking hopes of a large return…

CTV, Nov 6, 2015: Alarm sounded after dismal sockeye salmon return to iconic B.C. river

CTV transcript, Nov 6, 2015: One of B.C.’s most important salmon runs just hasn’t happened… The story it’s telling is ugly. (Jim Cooperman, president of the Shuswap Environmental Action Society:) “This is a collapse. This is a crash. It’s very significant.”…What’s missing is the salmon. Normally by this time of year with the spawning over, you’d be seeing a scattering of sockeye carcasses along the Adams River — but today you’re hard-pressed to find a single one… Government biologists say [it’s been] very disappointing.

Global News, Nov 6, 2015: [T]he number of sockeye returning to the Adams River is down sharply from the number originally expected. Now a local environmental group is raising concerns the return may be a sign of even bigger problems. “It was pathetic,” says Jim Cooperman, president of the Shuswap Environmental Action Society.  “That tells me that there is something majorly wrong happening in our oceans… think [of] salmon as the canary in the coal mine… we have some major concerns and it is not just the salmon.”… “We can say the returns are significantly below what we had preseason forecast,” says Stu Cartwright, Fisheries and Oceans Canada… federal authorities don’t know why fewer sockeye returned this year than originally expected.

Vancouver Sun, Nov 3, 2015: The late South Thompson sockeye run has seen far fewer fishthan expected… “In terms of the sockeye return, it’s much more disappointing than people were hoping to see this year,” said Greg Taylor, senior fisheries adviser for the Watershed Watch Salmon Society… “They arrive in the spawning grounds in October, and the numbers they’re seeing are disturbingly low.”… Taylor noted that this is the second year in a row that both the early summer and late summer components of Shuswap sockeye returned at levelswell below pre-season expectations.

Vancouver Sun, Sep 9, 2015: [A] fish expert says this year’s salmon season seems to be non-existent… “I didn’t smoke or can anything this year,” [Ken Ashley, director of the Rivers Institute at the B.C. Institute of Technology] said…

The Province, Sep 10, 2015: “I think we’re looking at the gradual biological extinction of salmon” [said First Nations fish adviser Ernie Crey]… Crey, 66, has been studying the situation for 35 years, first as a member of Fisheries and Oceans Canada… “This year’s run on the Fraser will be one of the lowest returns we’ve seen,” [fisheries scientist Brian Riddell] said…

Watch broadcasts: Global News | CTV

Published: November 18th, 2015 at 6:38 pm ET
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ENENews: Emergency Alert at US Nuclear Facility: Semi truck filled with uranium catches fire — Initial attempt to extinguish flames fails, blaze continued for over 30 minutes — Officials test for radioactive contamination — FEMA, Homeland Security, EPA notified

Emergency Alert at US Nuclear Facility: Semi truck filled with uranium catches fire — Initial attempt to extinguish flames fails, blaze continued for over 30 minutes — Officials test for radioactive contamination — FEMA, Homeland Security, EPA notified (VIDEO)
Published: September 24th, 2015 at 8:58 pm ET
By ENENews
http://enenews.com/emergency-alert-nuclear-facility-semi-truck-filled-uranium-catches-fire-officials-test-radioactive-contamination-blaze-continued-30-minutes-fema-homeland-security-epa-notified-video

US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Event Notification Report for Sep. 24, 2015 (emphasis added): HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL… URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE PRODUCTION… METROPOLIS, IL… Emergency Class: ALERT… 10 CFR Section: 40.35(f) – EMERGENCY DECLARED… ALERT DECLARED DUE A FIRE GREATER THAN 15 MINUTES OUTSIDE OF THE FACILITY — At 2019 CDT, the licensee declared an Alert due to a truck fire, outside of the protected area, that lasted greater than 15 minutes. The truck was awaiting entry to the plant to deliver materials when the truck driver noticed smoke emanating from the dash. He attempted to put out the fire using a handheld extinguisher but was unsuccessful so he left the vehicle and notified licensee employees. The licensee contacted the Massac County and Metropolis Fire Departments who responded to the site… The licensee is awaiting clearance from the fire department to enable them to take swipes of the trailer to verify no contamination exists. At 2055 CDT, once they determined the fire was out, the licensee downgraded the Alert to a plant emergency. The licensee notified local authorities and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency of the event. Notified DHS SWO, FEMA Ops Center, USDA Ops Center, HHS Ops Center, DOE Ops Center, DHS NICC Watch Officer and the EPA EOC…

http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/emerg-preparedness/about-emerg-preparedness/emerg-classification.html

NRC ‘Alert’ Classification: Events are in progress or have occurred which involve an actual or potential substantial degradation of the level of safety of the plant or a security event that involves probable life threatening risk to site personnel or damage to site equipment because of HOSTILE ACTION.

http://wkms.org/post/truck-delivering-uranium-catches-fire-outside-honeywell-metropolis

WKMS, Sep 21, 2015: Truck Delivering Uranium Catches Fire Outside of Honeywell Metropolis — Honeywell officials say a truck delivering uranium ore caught fire last night outside of their Metropolis facility. According to Honeywell’s Peter Dalpe, there are no reports that the fire breached the trailer, which was carrying the uranium… The plant initially declared an alert and notified the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. They later downgraded the alert to a plant emergency…

WPSD, Sep 20, 2015: Semi truck carrying uranium catches fire near Honeywell — A semi truck caught on fire at the Honeywell Plant… The truck was transporting uranium at the time.

KFVS, Sep 21, 2015: Semi carrying uranium catches fire in Massac Co. — Fire crews responded to a report of a semi on fire… in front of the Honeywell plant in Metropolis.

Watch the KFVS broadcast here

Current Event Notification Report for September 30, 2015
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Operations Center
Event Reports For
09/29/2015 – 09/30/2015
** EVENT NUMBERS **

51382 51416 51417 51432

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Fuel Cycle Facility Event Number: 51382
Facility: AREVA NP INC RICHLAND
RX Type: URANIUM FUEL FABRICATION
Comments: LEU CONVERSION
FABRICATION & SCRAP
COMMERCIAL LWR FUEL
Region: 2
City: RICHLAND State: WA
County: PENTON
License #: SNM-1227
Agreement: Y
Docket: 07001257
NRC Notified By: CALVIN MANNING
HQ OPS Officer: DANIEL MILLS Notification Date: 09/09/2015
Notification Time: 18:42 [ET]
Event Date: 09/09/2015
Event Time: 11:02 [PDT]
Last Update Date: 09/29/2015
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
PART 70 APP A (c) – OFFSITE NOTIFICATION/NEWS REL
Person (Organization):
JAMES DRAKE (R4DO)
MICHELE SAMPSON (NMSS)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFIC (EMAI)
SCOTT SHAEFFER (R2DO)
Event Text
POTENTIALLY CONTAMINATED EMPLOYEE TRANSPORTED OFFSITE FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE

“On Wednesday, September 9, 2015 at 1102 PDT, while trouble shooting process equipment in the ceramic area, an instrument technician got his right thumb caught between two pieces of equipment and severed the nail and part of the end of his thumb. The individual received first aid in the health and safety technician (HST) office and was surveyed for radioactive contamination and was found clean (the injured gloved hand was bandaged and was not surveyed). The injured individual, accompanied by an HST and survey instruments, was transported to a medical facility for treatment.

“After the injured individual was unbandaged by medical personnel, the HST surveyed the injured individual and portions of the medical facility and confirmed that no radioactive contamination was on the injured individual’s hand nor had any spread to the facility. The bandage and damaged glove was returned to the plant and laboratory instrumentation was used to confirm that it was also free from contamination.

“This report is being made under 10 CFR 70, Appendix A, Section C, ‘concurrent reporting,’ because the severed thumb requires a 24 hour report to Washington State Division of Occupational Safety & Health per Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 296-27-031. It is also conservatively being reported under 10 CFR 70.50 (b)(3), ‘treatment of an individual with radioactive contamination,’ because a small portion of the individual had not been surveyed and confirmed to not have any contamination prior to transporting the individual to a medical facility.”

The Licensee will notify NRC Region 4 during business hours on 9/10/15.

* * * UPDATE FROM CALVIN MANNING TO HOWIE CROUCH AT 1822 EDT ON 9/29/15 * * *

“On September 9, 2015, the AREVA Inc. Richland facility reported per the requirements of 10 CFR 70 Appendix A, section C, that an employee doing maintenance work severed the nail and part of the end of their thumb which required reporting to the Washington State Division of Occupational Safety & Health per Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 296-27-031.

“AREVA also conservatively reported, under 10 CFR 70.50(b)(3), treatment of an individual with radioactive contamination, because although the employee was surveyed for radioactive contamination and found to be free from such contamination prior to transport to a medical facility, a small portion of the individual had not been surveyed due to bandages on the injured hand. A Radiation Technician porting a radiation detection instrument accompanied the individual to the medical facility and when the bandage was removed confirmed that the hand, the bandage material and the medical facility room were all free from radioactive contamination. Based on this finding, AREVA retracts the portion of the report dealing pertaining to 10 CFR 70.50(b)(3).

“It is noted that a 60-day follow-up report is not required by 10 CFR 70 Appendix A for concurrent reporting (section C), therefore AREVA does not anticipate further correspondence with the NRC regarding this matter.”

Notified R4DO (Vasquez), R2DO (Ayres), NMSS EO (Guttman), NMSS Events Resource (email).

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Agreement State Event Number: 51416
Rep Org: CALIFORNIA RADIATION CONTROL PRGM
Licensee: EXXONMOBIL OIL CORPORATION
Region: 4
City: TORRANCE State: CA
County:
License #: 0113-19
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: JOJI ORTEGO
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN SHOEMAKER Notification Date: 09/22/2015
Notification Time: 15:03 [ET]
Event Date: 09/21/2015
Event Time: [PDT]
Last Update Date: 09/23/2015
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
GREG PICK (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFIC (EMAI)
Event Text
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT – DAMAGED SOURCE HOUSING

The following report was received from the State of California via email:

“On Sept. 21, 2015, [the] RSO [Radiation Safety Officer for] ExxonMobil contacted Los Angeles County Radiation Management regarding an equipment malfunction to one of the two sources in Vessel #5C31, found during routine maintenance. [Source information]; cesium-137, Model 7063 K-ray; SN: 29456B; 500 milliCuries. Per [the RSO], the source housing was damaged and was left in its normal operating position. Using a Ludlum Model 3, 44-6 beta gamma probe, the background radiation was measured at approx. 0.02 mR/hr and the radiation rate at 1 meter from the source is 0.06 mR/hr. The service company has been contacted and repair/replacement will be performed as soon as possible.”

California Report 5010#: 092115

* * * UPDATE FROM JOSEPHINE ORTEGA TO JOHN SHOEMAKER AT 1437 EDT ON 9/23/15 * * *

The following information was excerpted from a updated report received from the State of California via email:

“The shutter was stuck in the open position as used during its normal operating position. Using a Ludlum Model 3, 44-6 beta gamma probe, the background radiation was measured at approx. 0.02 mR/hr and the dose rate at 1 meter in areas outside of the vessel that could be occupied is approx. 0.06 mR/hr. The dose rate obtained in the path of the beam after passing thru two vessel walls is approx. 0.6 mR/hr. The vessel walls are 1 inch thick steel and the vessel diameter is approximately 8 feet.”

Notified R4DO (Pick) and NMSS_Events_Notification via email.

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Agreement State Event Number: 51417
Rep Org: COLORADO DEPT OF HEALTH
Licensee: ST. THOMAS MORE HOSPITAL AND PROGRESSIVE CARE
Region: 4
City: CANON CITY State: CO
County:
License #: CO 397-01
Agreement: Y
Docket:
NRC Notified By: PHILLIP PETERSON
HQ OPS Officer: JOHN SHOEMAKER Notification Date: 09/22/2015
Notification Time: 17:22 [ET]
Event Date: 09/22/2015
Event Time: [MDT]
Last Update Date: 09/22/2015
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
AGREEMENT STATE
Person (Organization):
GREG PICK (R4DO)
NMSS_EVENTS_NOTIFIC (EMAI)
Event Text
AGREEMENT STATE REPORT – UNPLANNED CONTAMINATION EVENT

The following report was received from the State of Colorado via email:

“On September 22, 2015, during a routine inspection at Colorado licensee St. Thomas More Hospital and Progressive Care (license CO 397-01), [Colorado State] inspectors noted multiple areas with contamination. Upon further investigation, the inspectors learned a patient earlier in the day was undergoing a diagnostic test involving nebulized Tc-99m DTPA for a lung scan. The patient began coughing and pulled off the mask during administration and coughed, spreading the contamination in the diagnostic area. The patient began to require elevated levels of medical care and nursing staff and nuclear medicine staff may have been contaminated while caring for the patient. Arrangements were made to transfer the patient to a different medical facility via helicopter. The second facility was notified and nuclear medicine technologists surveyed the helicopter and patient upon arrival with no contamination found.

“Reporting requirement: 10 CFR 30.50(b)(3); Colorado Part 4, Section 4.52.2.4

“Cause and corrective action: patient intervention. St. Thomas More has closed the affected areas to allow for decay. Surveys will be performed in affected areas prior to re-opening for additional patients.

“A full report of investigation and evaluations will follow within the next 30 days.

“Incident identification: CO15-I15-27”

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Power Reactor Event Number: 51432
Facility: SUSQUEHANNA
Region: 1 State: PA
Unit: [1] [ ] [ ]
RX Type: [1] GE-4,[2] GE-4
NRC Notified By: CARL YOUNG
HQ OPS Officer: CHARLES TEAL Notification Date: 09/29/2015
Notification Time: 14:56 [ET]
Event Date: 09/29/2015
Event Time: 10:30 [EDT]
Last Update Date: 09/29/2015
Emergency Class: NON EMERGENCY
10 CFR Section:
50.72(b)(3)(v)(C) – POT UNCNTRL RAD REL
Person (Organization):
FRED BOWER (R1DO)

Unit SCRAM Code RX CRIT Initial PWR Initial RX Mode Current PWR Current RX Mode
1 N Y 100 Power Operation 100 Power Operation
Event Text
BOTH TRAINS OF THE STANDBY GAS TREATMENT SYSTEM DECLARED INOPERABLE

“On 9/29/15 at 1020 EDT, the ‘B’ train of Standby Gas Treatment System was declared inoperable for planned testing. On 9/29/15 at 1030 EDT, during performance of a surveillance on Unit 1 Reactor Pressure Vessel water level instrumentation, one channel was found to not meet acceptance criteria. The failed level channel is part of the initiation logic for the ‘A’ train of Standby Gas Treatment. This resulted in a loss of safety function for the Standby Gas Treatment System. On 9/29/15 at 1145 EDT, the ‘B’ train of Standby Gas Treatment was restored to operable by restoring from the planned testing.

“This event is being reported under 10 CFR 50.72(b)(3)(v)(c) and per the guidance of NUREG 1022 Rev 3 section 3.2.7 as a loss of a Safety Function.”

The NRC Resident Inspector has been informed.