NRC Releases Draft Report on Simulated Accident at Two Nuclear Power Plants
Edwin S. Lyman of the Union of Concerned Scientists comments on a draft report from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission analyzing the potential consequences of a serious accident at the Surry nuclear plant in Virginia and the Peach Bottom nuclear plant in Pennsylvania. |
Contrarians Push Global Cooling Again
Climate contrarians are again pushing “global cooling” claims, despite the fact that 2011 was the 35th year in a row in which global temperatures were above the historical average. |
California Adopts Robust Plan for Cleaner Cars
The California Air Resources Board (ARB) today approved a historic package of vehicle polices that will reduce air pollution and the adverse public health impacts of cars and trucks while accelerating the market for electric car technology. |
Delays, special interests hinder rules against deadly dust
An extraordinary delay in the development of federal protections against exposure to crystalline silica is harming American workers, more than 300 public health scientists, doctors and occupational safety experts told President Obama today. |
Monsanto Corn Unlikely To Help Drought-Stricken Farmers
Yesterday, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it would allow unlimited planting of a genetically modified variety of corn designed by Monsanto Co. to be resistant to certain kinds of droughts. The company and the USDA have both admitted the crop will fare only modestly better than current conventional varieties under low- and moderate-level drought conditions. This means that this corn will be useful only for a fraction of corn acres – just 15 percent by USDA estimates. |
EPA regulations will not result in blackouts
Final EPA rules regulating emissions of toxic pollutants from coal-fired power plants pose no threat to electricity reliability. |
Majority of Departments, Agencies Struggling on Scientific Integrity
One year after the White House instructed federal agencies and departments to create and implement protections for their scientific work, and in the wake of two high-profile examples of political interference in federal government science, the majority of these authorities in question have failed to publicly release draft or final scientific integrity policies. |
NRC Commissioners' Spat Obscures Longstanding Agency Failure to Ensure Nuclear Safety
The public dispute between four members of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the agency’s chairman is a sideshow obscuring the longstanding problem with the NRC, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). |
Outcome at Durban Climate Negotiations Offers Limited Progress
Despite these achievements, the outcome of the Durban, South Africa, conference will do little to accelerate near-term emissions reductions, according to UCS. |
UCS Expert Offers Immediate Reaction on the Durban Climate Negotiations' Outcome
Negotiators at the climate summit in Durban agreed to preserve the Kyoto Protocol; launched a process for building a more comprehensive and ambitious treaty regime; and advanced the building blocks of the Cancun Agreements by adopting decisions on adaptation, finance, mitigation, technology and transparency. |
UCS Questions Whether Plan B Decision Was Based on Data or Politics
“Secretary Sebelius, a non-scientist, overruled the conclusions of an independent scientific panel that arrived at its decision after careful analysis and consideration of the data. Plan B is considered safe for over-the-counter use not only by FDA scientists and advisors but also by countless esteemed medical associations, from the American Academy of Pediatrics to the American Medical Association." |
NOAA Boosts Scientific Integrity with New Policy
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) today released a new scientific integrity policy that accomplishes as much as it can to ensure the agency’s actions are fully informed by the best available science, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). The group cautioned, however, that the Department of Commerce, the White House, and Congress must act to remove additional barriers for agency scientists. |
CA Releases New Clean Cars Plan
The California Air Resources Board (ARB) today released detailed proposals for a new suite of vehicle and fuel policies that will cut vehicle pollution, guarantee consumer access to clean fuels, and foster the development of zero-emission car technology. |
New Deforestation Data From Brazil Shows Continued Progress
Today the Brazilian space agency, INPE, released the annual estimate of Amazon deforestation from August 2010 through July 2011, showing an 11% reduction in the forest area cleared last year, marking continued progress in reducing deforestation. |
UCS Urges Congress to Oppose Bills that Block Agencies from Making Science-Based Rules
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) is urging members of Congress to oppose a trio of seemingly innocuous bills that could threaten federal agencies’ ability to create rules based on the best-available science. |
Annual U.N. Climate Meeting is a Fork in the Road
Annual U.N. climate treaty talks taking place in Durban, South Africa, represent “a crucial fork in the road” for negotiators, according to UCS. |
Hackers Release Batch of Old Stolen Emails from Scientists
Hackers posted stolen emails from leading climate scientists online today, just days ahead of a United Nations climate meeting. |
OSTP Cuts Could Be Crippling
Congress is expected to take up a spending bill later this week that would gut the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and undermine its ability to ensure the integrity of federal scientific information, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). |
White House Proposes Strong Auto Standards
The Obama administration today proposed new fuel efficiency and global warming pollution standards for model year 2017 through 2025 cars and light trucks. |
Significant Progress on California ZEV Program
The California Air Resources Board (ARB) today announced the outlines of a Zero Emissions Vehicles (ZEV) program that represents the state’s strongest push for advanced vehicles in the program’s 20-year history, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). |
