Friday, May 25, 2012
Al Queda attack on USS Miami submarine notes
Snowe, Collins: Navy will rebuild fire-damaged sub
KITTERY, Maine
(NEWS CENTER) -- The U.S. Navy is determined to rebuild the submarine damaged by fire at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. That word came from both of Maine's U.S. Senators after visiting the shipyard Friday. They also had high praise for all the firefighters and the sub's crew members who battled the fire for more than 12 hours.
The Senators say that shipyard workers are still ventilating the remaining smoke and fumes from inside the submarine and pumping out the three million gallons of water used to fight the fire.
The Navy is starting its investigation to determine how the fire started.
The flames broke out Wednesday night in what's called the forward compartment of the Miami, and officials report significant damage to that part of the sub. Senator Snowe and Collins say the Navy will investigate the cause, the extent of the damage and whether there was any criminal activity involved.
Sen. Snowe says there is no reason to suspect any wrongdoing, but regulations require that to be included in the investigation.
The Senators the submarine will be repaired and sent back to sea, and that the work will be done at the Kittery yard. They say Congress will have to find the money to make the repairs.
Snowe says it is believed to be the most serious fire ever at the shipyard, and possibly the worst on a Navy nuclear sub.
...Is she sick or what? If the fire was the shipyard fault, they get double bonus, and get to benefit for their negligence.
Maine Congresswoman Chellie Pingree:
Pingree said Capt. Bryant Fuller told her the fire came at a good time because the USS Miami had been at the yard for three months, and so workers had already removed a lot of equipment from the damaged area. "It's in their favor that it had been emptied out."
...Ultimately, he is accountable for this fire, he is defending his bad behavior. The fire was good for us because we get a double bonus.
Capt. Bryant Fuller
The USS Miami's reactor was not operating at any time the fire broke out and remained unaffected and stable throughout, said Capt. Bryant Fuller, commander for the shipyard, which is in Kittery, Maine.
...pumped a million gallons out of the submarine, that is about 8 million pounds inside the hull. They are dam lucky the sub never collapsed into the dry dock. And the sub was up on blocks. Certainly the sub was never designed for that weight and that is probably the reason why the sub will never see the sea again.
..."Oops"
"All told, the firefighters rotated 75 times to battle the fire, using 3 million gallons of water, nearly filling some compartments, Snowe said."
Aluminum, cabling and insulation caught on fire?
24 million pounds
1200 tons
300 semis...
...where do they keep the diesel generator fuel oil in a sub for the diesel generator...did that contribute to the fire?
...Ultimately it questions if the fleet of nuclear submarines are fit for combat and fire casualties...unfit for human habitation out to sea.
Miami fire probe will take at least 3 weeks
By
Christopher P. Cavas - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Jun 1, 2012 11:40:24 EDT
Investigators are continuing their work to determine the cause of the fire that burned through the fore end of the nuclear submarine Miami over the night of May 23-24.
The conflagration, which struck while the sub was in drydock at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, burned for nearly 10 hours but, according to the Navy, did not endanger the vessel’s nuclear reactor.
Shipyard workers returned to work on the ship Tuesday, shipyard spokesperson Deb White said.
The effort to fix the cause and assess the damage to Miami is expected to take about three weeks, White said in a news release issued Wednesday.
Several Navy investigations already are underway, said Naval Sea Systems Command spokesman Chris Johnson, including a safety review, a Judge Advocate General investigation and a NAVSEA technical review of the submarine’s condition — standard probes for this kind of incident.
The 22-year-old Miami was about two months into a scheduled 18-month engineering overhaul at the shipyard. The ship, planned for a service life of about 30 years, is scheduled to be decommissioned in fiscal 2020.
Navy authorities so far are declining to speculate about possible causes of the fire or whether the submarine can be repaired.
“Once all the inspections and reviews are complete, the Navy will take the time to look at every possible scenario in regards to the ship’s future,” Johnson said Thursday.
Unofficial reports indicate the fire burned at very high temperatures inside the ship.
Temperature “readings on the hull during the fire were very high,” said one source with knowledge of the incident. “It was indicative of an incredible fire on the inside.”
Although NAVSEA chief Vice Adm. Kevin McCoy proclaimed shortly after the fire that the submarine would be repaired, speculation has been widespread that Miami’s service life is over. The intense fire could have buckled hull frames or weakened the pressure hull, and the cost of repairs could be prohibitive.
If the ship can’t be returned to service, she might be useful as a moored training ship for the Navy’s nuclear power school at Charleston, S.C., where the former ballistic missile submarines Daniel Webster and Sam Rayburn are slated for replacement. Two Los Angeles-class submarines, La Jolla and San Francisco, are scheduled to be converted to the MTS role when they’re decommissioned in 2015. Miami, with her reactor and machinery sections intact, might be swapped for one of those.
If the submarine cannot be returned to active service, it would become the first submarine and the first nuclear ship lost through a U.S. shipyard accident. And while two ships — the transport Lafayette (the former French liner Normandie) in 1942, and the minesweeper Avenge in 1970 — have been lost in commercial shipyard fires, Miami could become the first ship lost in a U.S. naval shipyard since the 19th century.
Friday, May 18, 2012
A Failure Of Imagination, again?
This isn't a failure of a technology, maybe a failure to keep modern a technology. I think the Japanese nuclear disaster for us in groups, organization and as a culture, as individuals and collectively, it is a failure of us to manage our brains, thinking and our hearts. Oh, the sorrows over all our failures to manage our hearts...
A failure of imagination?
Is there a exercise plan in which you can make your imagination muscle stronger? Can you productively strengthen the individual and group imagination muscle. I believe there is such a muscle in out heads.
How many times we going to hear heart sick people, who were involved in trillions of dollars and damaging thousands of people lives, lamenting it was a failure of my imagination after the tragedy. Why does organization culture kill imagination? And I will tell you a fact, imagination ain't shit unless you get it recorded on the organization's paperwork. The ability to create a organization wider discussion on it.
Do we get the choice, in order to fit into the group I am required to cripple my imagination. Or I can have infinite conscience imagination if I leave the group. Is it choice of starving or not?
And we know we are forced to be in groups where our thinking is forced to be stove piped into artificial ideological, culture or organizational bins. This is what we tell everyone what we know and this is what we say we don't know, when we do?
You know, like, who and what do you serve?
And a little altruism can overshadow a much larger altruism...altruisms abuse or altruism blindness. To what ends do to we use altruism for, to open up our eyes to the spectacularly beautiful wider world or to limit ours or our organizational field of view for selfish purpose?
Our greatest failures and sins occur over altruism blindness...our inability to discriminate altruism for self interest over altruism for our common good. Does doing good for another make me feel good or does it set another free? Does it make me feel good, when i should feel very troubled and compelled to act.
Isn't that at that at the bottom of the failures of the philosophy of our free and completive economic markets...?
Kyodo
The man who was the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry's top official when the Fukushima disaster unfolded said he regretted underestimating the tsunami danger when METI was reviewing earthquake-resistance guidelines for nuclear plants before the crisis.
"We should have used our imagination," said Kazuo Matsunaga, who was vice minister of economy, trade and industry when the meltdowns began in March last year, told a Diet-appointed panel probing the disaster Wednesday.
I consider this an intentional distraction that allowed him to drive intoxicated?
..."My mind was occupied with handling the accident at Kansai Electric Power Co.'s Mihama plant," Matsunaga said, referring to a pipe rupture in August 2004 that killed five workers and injured six.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Does NRC's Director Troy Pruett Work in Region II?
Is the NRC's III Division Director Troy Pruett political disease in Region II?
I bet you if they had shut down Browns Ferry their could have concentrated their resources a lot more effectively. It would have made their job as a regulator a lot more easy?
Sounds like Swafford is saying, bug off NRC or I will sic my mad dog southern Republicans and the gang of four pro industry commissioners at you.
Browns Ferry isn't ready to inspect
excerpts:
TVA's nuclear operations chief told officials with the Nuclear Regulatory Agency on Tuesday that Browns Ferry is not ready yet for a third and final special NRC inspection to clear its "red" safety rating.
"We will not invite an inspection team in until have confidence we are ready. ... I can't even give you a ballpark estimate now when that will be."
NRC's regional administrator, Victor McCree, said after the meeting that the federal regulatory agency will take that answer in stride.
"I've been at the mindset that there's no point stressing accountability for procedures we know will change. Holding people accountable to inferior products isn't fair to the employees," Swafford said.
I bet you if they had shut down Browns Ferry their could have concentrated their resources a lot more effectively. It would have made their job as a regulator a lot more easy?
Sounds like Swafford is saying, bug off NRC or I will sic my mad dog southern Republicans and the gang of four pro industry commissioners at you.
Browns Ferry isn't ready to inspect
excerpts:
TVA's nuclear operations chief told officials with the Nuclear Regulatory Agency on Tuesday that Browns Ferry is not ready yet for a third and final special NRC inspection to clear its "red" safety rating.
"We will not invite an inspection team in until have confidence we are ready. ... I can't even give you a ballpark estimate now when that will be."
NRC's regional administrator, Victor McCree, said after the meeting that the federal regulatory agency will take that answer in stride.
"I've been at the mindset that there's no point stressing accountability for procedures we know will change. Holding people accountable to inferior products isn't fair to the employees," Swafford said.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
If I Won The NRC's $700 Million Dollar Reform Lottery
You know he is downplaying it...it is huge. And it's a spreading cancer on the nukes.
Exelon's CEO Mayo Shattuck:
"Even the existing fleet is feeling a little bit of the pressure in this kind of environment,” he said. The U.S. has 104 commercial operating reactors."
?
I would get the Allegation department outside the NRC...make them a stand alone entity.
US Senator Bernie Sanders and Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell to speak at rally to support Vermont.
April 6, 2012
Saturday, April 14, 2012, Noon to 2:00 pm
Brattleboro Common, Brattleboro, Vermont 05301
(rain location: Brattleboro Union High School)
statements issued day-of from
Governor Peter Shumlin and
Former Governor Madeline Kunin
and other elected officials
Special Musical Guest:
Fenibo (a rousing 12-piece Afro-beat ensemble1) April 2, 2012
...I have spent an enormous of time talking to NRC officials and local NRC plant inspectors over the last year at VY, Palisades and Peach Bottom nuclear plant. I've submitted many 2.206s. A lot of NRC officials know my name and have spoken with me over the phone and in person.
If you really wanted to help me and the nation...you would help me reform the NRC's 2.206 petition process.
The below is in a condensed from...it designed to protect careers. It is in a nuclear industry technical lingo-speak that the NRC understands. They know these people are Root Cause Analysis professionals and have broad vision over many plants.
I am absolutely certain we have understated the problem. I am certain if this was investigated and mandatory testimony...we could prevent a lot of trouble.
Remember, I think they think doing a RCA gives factual ammunition to the NRC and in pending regulatory or court proceedings.
My blog: 'The Popperville Town Hall'
http://steamshovel2002.blogspot.com/
What we are talking about here in broad terms: it is the immune system of every nuclear plant in the nation and the nuclear industry.
...Of course, taking out the NRC Allegations section and the 2.206 petition process, that is call being in heaven.
I would want the NRC to be in partnership with me, not as a hyper rules based prosecutor or judge where I have no chance of ever getting past this corporate sponsored rules mandated to the NRC. I got to go up against this highly legalistic system even when it not really designed to be that way, where it is mostly laissez-faire and voluntary rules to a nuclear power plant. It is a check valve regulator!
They got a tons of laws and tools that limits my transparency to the problems of a plant and the agency; with very limited rules that mandates transparency to the public or me.
It is like a one way check valve on a host of issues, very little is spun my way in the interest of the USA (public), the vast majority are spun in the industry direction.
The overriding issue here is transparency and truth telling...the single most important determinate to nuclear and public safety is the nuclear industry showing their cards.
These guys got a lot of incentives to take shortcuts!
I won't bug you any more unless you ask for advice.
...Honest to god last time:
When I go through these NRC government processes...the 2.206 and Allegations...I feel it as the government is in a word, language, rules and process war with me. My government is at war against me and is using language as a weapon of war to me. It is not as a tool of understanding the issue or me. They become a understanding disruptor weapon.
A nuclear plant is so engineering, technically and organizationally complex...interacting with the NRC is 1000 times more complex.
I really need a seasoned senior NRC official who has seen everything and he has the horsepower to know the system and demand transparency. He needs to be assigned to me like my advocator and lawyer...his job is temporarily serve me and my issue ...to guide me through the agency's complex processes. All us outsiders need this kind of help.
I met and talked to a lot of NRC officials. Most of them are kind and decent when you get them by themselves. Most of them make us proud.
2) April 4, 2012
To who it may concern:
I can't believe I am doing this after having such a painful outcome talking to NRC Region 1 Allegation officials just a few days ago. I told myself I would never talk to Allegations again. If you want to talk to me I suggest it be outside Region I Allegations and preferably somebody from headquarters. I know there are lots more experienced people in the NRC than what I was recently exposed too.
I consider Region 1 Allegations compromised much like the March 2007 Peach Bottom sleeping guard incident where Allegations needed 500% absolute perfect inside evidence that was never obtainable in our existence. The NRC was too lazy to go down to Peach Bottom to investigate it on their own and they took the false assurances of Peach Bottom that there was no sleeping guards until the inside video came out that shook up the nation.
I consider the below a "cry for help" to me from multiple plant high nuclear employees and nuclear safety officials. And I certainly assert my confidentiality rights with this because this is so explosive to many careers. Nuclear Industry safety consultants might become blacklist from the nuclear industry. It exemplifies a pervasive of "I don't care" nuclear safety attitude throughout the nuclear industry. And these utilities are disrespectful to nuclear safety oversight in general.
I bet we are painting the most accurate leading indicator the NRC has seen in decades and we know the industry is in deep troubles as seen with all of your issues in recent years. These guys got a attitude problem and so doesn't the NRC!
I wish you would send a copy of this to the OIG?
...So is this about the reforming NRC Allegation process or RCA?
Just kidding, or not.
I kinda open here with my time. I could converse with you with within 24 hours, say tomorrow morning or beyond. I am good with before the end of the week, but I understand you people are busier than me.
What the hell does "specific information" mean?
...3:00pm on 4/10 is a excellent choice.
By the way, what are my needs that enables the exercises of my democratic Constitutional ideals or rights with the agency's rules.
1) Full access to the target site, documents and employees of a nuclear power plant or NRC.
2) My sufficient funding, skills and education to do my own independent investigation to give the agency its rule enabler.
"Specific information (e.g., which site/plant, organization, personnel) is necessary, for the NRC to respond to any issues, which are raised by concerned citizens."
...Really, I am a ant...you would need a sufficient independent "organization" with sufficient uncontested access, resources and intellectual horsepower, which could counteract or challenge the Republican ideological influences over of the agency and the influences of the cohesive nuclear industry and their owners.
It should neither be pro nuke or anti nuke...just hunting for the truth!
You would need a transformational organization...
Exelon's CEO Mayo Shattuck:
"Even the existing fleet is feeling a little bit of the pressure in this kind of environment,” he said. The U.S. has 104 commercial operating reactors."
?
I would get the Allegation department outside the NRC...make them a stand alone entity.
US Senator Bernie Sanders and Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell to speak at rally to support Vermont.
April 6, 2012
Saturday, April 14, 2012, Noon to 2:00 pm
Brattleboro Common, Brattleboro, Vermont 05301
(rain location: Brattleboro Union High School)
statements issued day-of from
Governor Peter Shumlin and
Former Governor Madeline Kunin
and other elected officials
Special Musical Guest:
Fenibo (a rousing 12-piece Afro-beat ensemble1) April 2, 2012
...I have spent an enormous of time talking to NRC officials and local NRC plant inspectors over the last year at VY, Palisades and Peach Bottom nuclear plant. I've submitted many 2.206s. A lot of NRC officials know my name and have spoken with me over the phone and in person.
If you really wanted to help me and the nation...you would help me reform the NRC's 2.206 petition process.
The below is in a condensed from...it designed to protect careers. It is in a nuclear industry technical lingo-speak that the NRC understands. They know these people are Root Cause Analysis professionals and have broad vision over many plants.
I am absolutely certain we have understated the problem. I am certain if this was investigated and mandatory testimony...we could prevent a lot of trouble.
Remember, I think they think doing a RCA gives factual ammunition to the NRC and in pending regulatory or court proceedings.
My blog: 'The Popperville Town Hall'
http://steamshovel2002.blogspot.com/
What we are talking about here in broad terms: it is the immune system of every nuclear plant in the nation and the nuclear industry.
...Of course, taking out the NRC Allegations section and the 2.206 petition process, that is call being in heaven.
I would want the NRC to be in partnership with me, not as a hyper rules based prosecutor or judge where I have no chance of ever getting past this corporate sponsored rules mandated to the NRC. I got to go up against this highly legalistic system even when it not really designed to be that way, where it is mostly laissez-faire and voluntary rules to a nuclear power plant. It is a check valve regulator!
They got a tons of laws and tools that limits my transparency to the problems of a plant and the agency; with very limited rules that mandates transparency to the public or me.
It is like a one way check valve on a host of issues, very little is spun my way in the interest of the USA (public), the vast majority are spun in the industry direction.
The overriding issue here is transparency and truth telling...the single most important determinate to nuclear and public safety is the nuclear industry showing their cards.
These guys got a lot of incentives to take shortcuts!
I won't bug you any more unless you ask for advice.
...Honest to god last time:
When I go through these NRC government processes...the 2.206 and Allegations...I feel it as the government is in a word, language, rules and process war with me. My government is at war against me and is using language as a weapon of war to me. It is not as a tool of understanding the issue or me. They become a understanding disruptor weapon.
A nuclear plant is so engineering, technically and organizationally complex...interacting with the NRC is 1000 times more complex.
I really need a seasoned senior NRC official who has seen everything and he has the horsepower to know the system and demand transparency. He needs to be assigned to me like my advocator and lawyer...his job is temporarily serve me and my issue ...to guide me through the agency's complex processes. All us outsiders need this kind of help.
I met and talked to a lot of NRC officials. Most of them are kind and decent when you get them by themselves. Most of them make us proud.
2) April 4, 2012
To who it may concern:
I can't believe I am doing this after having such a painful outcome talking to NRC Region 1 Allegation officials just a few days ago. I told myself I would never talk to Allegations again. If you want to talk to me I suggest it be outside Region I Allegations and preferably somebody from headquarters. I know there are lots more experienced people in the NRC than what I was recently exposed too.
I consider Region 1 Allegations compromised much like the March 2007 Peach Bottom sleeping guard incident where Allegations needed 500% absolute perfect inside evidence that was never obtainable in our existence. The NRC was too lazy to go down to Peach Bottom to investigate it on their own and they took the false assurances of Peach Bottom that there was no sleeping guards until the inside video came out that shook up the nation.
I consider the below a "cry for help" to me from multiple plant high nuclear employees and nuclear safety officials. And I certainly assert my confidentiality rights with this because this is so explosive to many careers. Nuclear Industry safety consultants might become blacklist from the nuclear industry. It exemplifies a pervasive of "I don't care" nuclear safety attitude throughout the nuclear industry. And these utilities are disrespectful to nuclear safety oversight in general.
I bet we are painting the most accurate leading indicator the NRC has seen in decades and we know the industry is in deep troubles as seen with all of your issues in recent years. These guys got a attitude problem and so doesn't the NRC!
I wish you would send a copy of this to the OIG?
...So is this about the reforming NRC Allegation process or RCA?
Just kidding, or not.
I kinda open here with my time. I could converse with you with within 24 hours, say tomorrow morning or beyond. I am good with before the end of the week, but I understand you people are busier than me.
What the hell does "specific information" mean?
...3:00pm on 4/10 is a excellent choice.
By the way, what are my needs that enables the exercises of my democratic Constitutional ideals or rights with the agency's rules.
1) Full access to the target site, documents and employees of a nuclear power plant or NRC.
2) My sufficient funding, skills and education to do my own independent investigation to give the agency its rule enabler.
"Specific information (e.g., which site/plant, organization, personnel) is necessary, for the NRC to respond to any issues, which are raised by concerned citizens."
...Really, I am a ant...you would need a sufficient independent "organization" with sufficient uncontested access, resources and intellectual horsepower, which could counteract or challenge the Republican ideological influences over of the agency and the influences of the cohesive nuclear industry and their owners.
It should neither be pro nuke or anti nuke...just hunting for the truth!
You would need a transformational organization...
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