Yucca Mountain is dead, long live Yucca Mountain - September 12, 2011
We've been kicking things around for more than a year, but we simply cannot make up our mind on what to do. And since there's no money left anyway, well, we might as well give up and shut things down. No? That's the gist of a surreal decision issued Friday by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regarding the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository in Nevada. The opinion comes in response to a ruling last year by the internal Atomic Safety Licensing Board, which found that the Obama administration does not have the legal authority to simply walk away from the project (background here). Congress already wrote the law designating Yucca, the board said, and so the Energy Department must now follow science as its guide.
In celebration of the fact that this is one of those rare occasions in the news business where a legal decision is in fact shorter than the news stories that follow, I will hereby post the NRC's response in its entirety:
On June 30, 2010, the participants were invited to submit briefs as to whether the
Commission should review, and reverse or uphold, the Board’s decision denying the
Department of Energy’s motion to withdraw its construction authorization application with
prejudice. Upon consideration of all filings in this matter, the Commission finds itself evenly
divided on whether to take the affirmative action of overturning or upholding the Board’s
decision.
Consistent with budgetary limitations, the Board has taken action to preserve information
associated with this adjudication. In furtherance of this, we hereby exercise our inherent
supervisory authority to direct the Board to, by the close of the current fiscal year, complete all
necessary and appropriate case management activities, including disposal of all matters
currently pending before it and comprehensively documenting the full history of the adjudicatory
proceeding.
Short, sweet, and dreadfully confusing.
The five-member commission might have ordered its staff to go through the books and wrap things up by end of the month, but others have a very different interpretation. The Associated Press reports that Republicans on Capitol Hill say the decision affirms last year's board ruling and puts Yucca Mountain back on course.
Given that one of the five commissioners recused himself and the other four were divided, the question is what happens in the event of a tie. And apparently the commission couldn't agree that either, because the ruling itself is silent on the matter. All it says is that Congress hasn't allocated any money, so that's that. Which of course is not how things work in the legal world, where obligations are evaluated according to the law, not budgets.
As discussed in our earlier posts, the case is already pending in the federal Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, which earlier declined to rule because the NRC had not itself ruled on the matter. Now the commission has given the court something it can work with. And so we wait.
Antarctic microbes live life to the extreme : Nature News
“You might not expect bacteria living in Antarctic ice to be well suited to life in a boiling kettle, but that is what Chilean scientists discovered during an expedition last year. The researchers have turned up more than 200 new species of microorganisms adapted to living in extreme environments.”This is a really cool report on bugs that were found in the South Shetland Islands. Though I wouldn’t call them simply scientists, as these folks were indeed prospecting for practical microbes. They found extremophiles of all sorts: psychrophiles, halophiles, acidophiles, alkaphiles, and a new Deinococcus. The scientists are excitedly starting to envision potential applications. They even were able to find a ton of strains of actinomyces, suggestion they might find new antibiotics, too.
4 March 2011
LIVE WHERE NATURE INSPIRES CREATIVITY AT H2O RESIDENCES
Enjoy a greener and more vibrant riverfront living at the 521-unit H2O Residences which was unveiled by City Developments Limited (CDL) at a private preview today. Nestled in the heart of Sengkang New Town with the Layar LRT Station conveniently located at its doorstep, this nature-inspired 99-year development offers breathtaking unobstructed views of lush surroundings and charming waterways.
Apartments are attractively priced at an early bird price of average of S$910 per square foot, ranging from S$545,000 for a 1-bedroom unit to S$2.19 million for a penthouse. For Phase 1 of this private preview, 120 units have been released.
A refreshing wonderland reflecting the soothing vibes of the river, the development’s five modern residential towers are a contemporary vision of cool elegance. With a wide range of apartment configurations to cater to every lifestyle need, spaces within each apartment have also been masterfully planned for functionality and more. The rectangular room layout provides ease of space planning to achieve optimal space efficiency, while full height windows in all bedrooms and spacious balconies offer breathtaking panoramas of the lush surroundings and quaint waterways. True to its name, residents can delight in a wide array of water-themed eco-friendly recreational amenities such as Nature’s Terrace, Rain Garden and Discovery Bio-pond.
This condominium is designed to integrate with the surrounding water bodies and park, and is the first-of-its-kind development which connects residents to an active riverfront lifestyle. It was also awarded the ABC Waters (Active, Beautiful, Clean) Waters certification by Public Utilities Board (PUB). For instance, the nearby Sengkang Floating Wetland – the largest man-made floating wetland in Singapore – is of the most diverse eco-systems supporting a thriving community of plant and animal life. Residents can also look forward to spotting seldom seen species of birds and other wildlife. For sports enthusiasts, they will certainly enjoy the easy access H2O Residences offers to the Sengkang Riverside Park and Sengkang Hockey Stadium.
Located at the junction of Sengkang West Avenue and Fernvale Link, H2O Residences is easily accessible by major expressways, including the Central Expressway (CTE), Tampines Expressway (TPE), Seletar Expressway (SLE) and Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE). Residents can also have convenient access to public transport as the Layar LRT Station takes them directly to Sengkang MRT Station. It is also strategically located near reputable schools such as Nan Chiau Primary and Secondary schools and is within close proximity to wide range of amenities such as F&B, retail outlets and supermarkets/ wet market.
“As Sengkang undergoes rapid development to be transformed into a ‘21st century township’, residents can look forward to a new alternative lifestyle in this unique part of the city. The surrounding wetland and strategic location of H2O Residences are pull factors for young families as it provides the perfect environment for their children to connect with nature to be more eco-conscious. The cooling measures introduced by the government have presented an opportune time for genuine buyers to enter the market and we have received a positive response from those looking for a quality and value-for-money home,” said Mr Chia Ngiang Hong, CDL’s Group General Manager.
