JAMES MADISON QUOTE - 1822

"A popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or, perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives."

SCOTTSBORO WEATHER - SUN & MOON RISE

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Scottsboro City Council Regular Session, July 22, 2013

(photo by G. Morgan)
 
If some of you did not notice the name of my blog has been changed to "IN-THE-BORO," representing our home, ScottsBORO, Alabama. This name change coincides with my ndaboro - YouTube channel
 
Monday was a regular session of the Scottsboro City Council. The first agenda item was a Public Hearing regarding a city sales tax abatement for a new business in town.
 
AGENDA
 
VIDEO


Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Jackson County Commission Regular Session, Jul. 22, 2013

 
Monday was a regular session of the Jackson County Commission. Poor road conditions in the Rash Community was brought forward.
 
AGENDA
 
Benefit Concert
 
 
VIDEO


Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Scottsboro City Council Work Session July 15, 2013

 
Scottsboro City Council Work Session, one agenda item - recyclable waste bid. Several items for the Mayors Report.
 
VIDEO
 

Monday, July 15, 2013

Jackson County Commission Work Session, Dangerous Animal Ordinance-Public Hearing

Picture of feral dog. (wikicommons)
 
The Jackson County Commission Work Session and Public Hearing today drew a crowd of 45 citizens. 8 citizens expressed their views about the need or no need for a "Dangerous Animal Ordinance." Clarion Article: http://www.theclarion.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6528:commission-to-hold-public-hearing-for-animal-ordinance&catid=42:clarion-rotation-stories&Itemid=142 
 
A concerned citizen spoke about a paving problem with County Road 694. There were two items on todays agenda, Dangerous Animal Ordinance Public Hearing and Air Evac Plan discussion for County Employees. Next Public Hearing on Dangerous Animal Ordinance will be July 30, 2013, 6:00PM at the Dutton Town Hall.
 
The videos due to length will be presented in three parts. Part 1 is the County Attorney overview and Sheriffs Department experiences. In Part 2 & 3 citizens report roving packs of vicious dogs. Citizens arm themselves to prevent injury from dangerous dogs. Dogs attacking citizens on foot; reports of over a hundred dogs running wild raised by one owner; dogs terrorizing citizens and killing livestock and other pets.  Alabama Consolidated Animal Law Listing: http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/stusalst3_1_1_3_8_1.htm
 
VIDEO PART 1
 


VIDEO PART 2 


VIDEO PART 3 

Browns Ferry 95003 (Red Flag) NRC Inspection Public Meeting Exit Briefing - July 11, 2013

TVA photo of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant containing 3 GE Mark 1 defective nuclear reactors and their millions of pounds of spent highly radioactive, used, nuclear fuel. (Updated Jul 26, 2013, end of this article)
 
BACKGROUND
During an October 2010 refueling it was discovered that a safety valve had been non-functioning or failed sometime after March 2009, but the failure was not identified nor corrected until the October 2010 fueling outage. This lead the NRC to place Browns Ferry in the degraded category 4 status, a Red Finding. The worse operational status the nuclear plant could receive and remain open.
 
Several managers were replaced and serious leadership failures were identified. Unfortunately, the failure to identify problems and correct them is not a reason to close a nuclear plant. Once again, the citizens of North Alabama are lucky that a nuclear accident did not occur during the time the critical safety systems were inoperable.
 
95003 Inspection-Red Finding Public Exit Briefing and Public Input
In February of this year the TVA requested the NRC to begin their final 95003 Inspection Process.
  
At the end of the Red Finding inspection process, called a 95003 Inspection process, a TVA Engineer comes forward during the public input session and states that current management have "modified"  corrective action and safety reports.
 
The Engineer is Ms. Joni Johnson, a TVA root cause analyst engineer. She claims there continues to be a flawed safety culture and indicates leadership, including the NRC, is covering up the extent of the deficiencies. http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/07/browns_ferry_engineer_never_ex.html
"Shrinking the Safety Margin:"  http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/07/browns_ferry.html 
 
Ms. Johnson's presentation to the NRC at the Public Exit Session: 




NRC answers technical questions about Ms. Johnson's complaints and presentation placed forward by Mr. Don Safer, one of several concerned citizens who spoke at the NRC 95003 Public Exit Session.




The Red Finding remains and there are further questions about other safety violations which the NRC refused to make comment about when asked to specifically identify the mentioned violation and pending enforcement action. Questions by BREDL/BEST/MATRR member Garry Morgan to NRC Region 2 Administrator Victor McCree. Red Finding continues: http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/07/browns_ferry_stuck_with_red_wa.html and  http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/jul/11/nrc-tvas-browns-ferry-nuclear-plant-still-needs-im/



Videos of the Browns Ferry Annual Assessment and the NRC 95003 Public Exit Inspection Briefing at Calhoun College on July 11, 2013.

NRC Presentation
>NRC Browns Ferry 2012 Annual Assessment Report - July 11, 2013
>Browns Ferry 95003 (Red) NRC Exit Meeting Part 1 Jul 11, 2013
>Browns Ferry 95003 (Red) NRC Exit Meeting Part 2 07-11-13
>Browns Ferry 95003 (Red) NRC Exit Meeting Part-3 07-11-13
>Browns Ferry NRC 95003 (Red) Exit Summary Part-4 07-11-13

Public Input
> Browns Ferry NRC Inspection TVA Engineer Questions NRC 7 11 13
>Browns Ferry 95003 NRC Public Q&A Part1 Fire Safety 7-11-13 (Stewart Horn)
>Browns Ferry 95003 NRC-Exit-The Whistleblower 7-11-13 Pt-2  (Don Safer)
>Browns Ferry 95003 NRC Public Q&A Part 3, 7-11-13 (Gretel Johnston)
>Browns Ferry 95003 NRC-Public Q&A Part-4 7-11-13  (Garry Morgan)
   
UPDATE: "al.com July 26, 2013 - "TVA, regulators debate safety significance of emergency shutdown at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant  - Unit 2 was running at 100 percent power on Dec. 22, 2012 when a TVA senior reactor operator opened the wrong breaker on a reactor protection system bus. That caused the reactor to shut down and "also caused the main steam isolation valves to close. The main steam isolation valves are designed to close in the unlikely event of a rupture in the plant's steam pipes," according to the NRC."    http://blog.al.com/breaking/2013/07/post_1210.html

Radioactive Emissions and Health Hazards Surrounding Browns ... Ferry

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Scottsboro City Council Regular Session, July 8, 2013

 
Monday was a regular session of the Scottsboro City Council.
 
ADENDA
 
Tourism: J.P. Parsons, Tourism Director Jackson County Chamber of Commerce made a presentation on area tourism. $55million in dollars are the dollar amounts from tourism in Jackson Co.  719 employees are employed by the tourism industry in Jackson County.
 
Reports: Councilman Smith suggested a joint letter from the city council to our Federal Elected Officials in regards to helping citizens regarding the flooding issues around the city. Apparently a citizen's home is about to be washed away and FEMA will not assist the family. It was reported that the citizen requested help from Rep. Mo Brooks and was refused help.  
 
VIDEO
 

Jackson County Commission - Combined Session July 8, 2013

 
Monday was a joint work session and regular session of the Jackson County Commission. During the work session representatives from Spectra Energy made a presentation regarding the proposed gas line which will go through the Northeast corner of Jackson County.
 
Spectra Energy's Renaissance Project
Spectra Energy representatives have mentioned an estimated completion date of May 2017 for the 22 mile gas line through Jackson County on its way to the Atlanta, Ga. area. Line Right of Ways (ROWs) will follow existing ROWs where possible. Local property owners, where a right of way could cross their property, should expect letters as soon as the end of this month. It was stated Spectra Energy is committed to safety and has one of the strongest safety records in the nation. 
 
A major gas pipeline through Jackson County opens the possibility of significant large industry, which requires natural gas, to open business in Jackson County. Significant industry means significant jobs.
 
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) process is underway. The FERC will have to  approve the project before construction begins.
 
AGENDA
 
The regular session was very short, the only item concerning the purchase of vehicles for Public Works was tabled due to an error in the resolution. The item will be brought forward in the next regular session.
 
During the reports segment District 3 Commissioner Dennis Miller mentioned that the next Community Work Session of the Commission will be held at the Dutton Town Hall on July 30, 2013 at 6PM.
 
VIDEO


Monday, July 8, 2013

The Saga of a Defective Nuclear Reactor System and Negligent Managers

THE BROWNS FERRY NUCLEAR PLANT NEAR ATHENS AND DECATUR, ALABAMA HAS BEEN OPERATING UNSAFELY (TVA photo)


TVA's largest nuclear facility at Browns Ferry, Alabama has been operating unsafely according to multiple sources: NRC, TVA and a TVA Engineer who specializes in "root cause analysis" of nuclear plant malfunctions. Yet, the unsafe Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant has been allowed to continue operations with unsafe systems, antiquated electronic parts and negligent management.

Browns Ferry has a dubious history as this PBS video explains.




MANAGEMENT DISCONNECT REGARDING SAFETY AND CORRECTIVE ACTIONS

There appears to be a large TVA management and NRC disconnect relative to safety and corrective actions programs for the flawed and defective GE Mark 1 Browns Ferry Nuclear Reactors. The three Browns Ferry Nuclear Reactors are the same type which melted down at the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Reactor site and forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of citizens surrounding the highly contaminated nuclear facility.

A "station blackout" scenario at Browns Ferry Alabama similar to the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear reactor station blackout and subsequent meltdowns could make the areas of Athens, Decatur, Madison and parts of Huntsville, Alabama a "no mans land." Depending on the wind direction, over 250,000 citizens could be left homeless, never to be able to return to their homes due to area radiation contamination. In the case of a reactor disaster the food chain in the area would be contaminated up to 100 miles and greater from Browns Ferry depending on wind direction. Cancer risks would sky rocket for citizens residing in areas greater than 100 miles of Browns Ferry.

After the fiasco with the January 2012 control room fire at Browns Ferry it became apparent the NRC and the TVA were intentionally covering up failures which could compromise the safety of North Alabama citizens. http://blog.al.com/breaking/2012/07/browns_ferry_nuclear_plant_had.html

The control room fire revealed: 1) an inoperative corrective actions program; 2) TVA management failed to implement corrective actions identified multiple times for several years; 3) TVA management failed to replace antiquated electrical components throughout the Browns Ferry facility; 4) the TVA and NRC have attempted to cover-up the extent of management failures relative to corrective action programs (CAP) and the existence of antiquated analog electrical components in critical safety systems throughout the plant. 

REGULATORY FAILURE OF THE NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION, NRC
On March 4, 2013 the NRC stated in its Annual Assessment Report on Browns Ferry that the TVA at Browns Ferry has problems identified as "Significant Cross cutting Issues, SCCI," which after several notices of violations were not corrected. The report stated specifically that management at Browns Ferry did not take “appropriate and timely corrective actions," notified in 5 different letters, nor did they conduct a "thorough evaluation of identified problems," notified in 7 different letters.  The March 4, 2013 NRC letter contains dates and facility areas for the increased inspection programs out to June 2014. http://www.nrc.gov/NRR/OVERSIGHT/ASSESS/LETTERS/bf_2012q4.pdf   


WHISTLEBLOWER REVEALS FLAWED SAFETY CULTURE
Yesterday, July 7, 2013 the Huntsville Times released an expose on "Browns Ferry: Shrinking the safety margin at Alabama's largest nuclear plant" - http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/07/browns_ferry.html ; and a story revealing a "flawed safety culture" and accusations of nuclear safety shortcuts being taken: http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/07/browns_ferry_engineer_never_ex.html  The expose also reveals serious allegations of sexual harassment pointed at the female engineer whistleblower.

Aging nuclear plants corrode and all nuclear facilities release highly radioactive nuclear contaminants into the water, land and atmosphere surrounding the nuclear facility. After 8 months of investigations concerning radiation levels surrounding the Browns Ferry Nuclear Facility a Radioactive Emissions and Health Hazards report was issued by the BREDL Chapter BEST/MATRR on June 6, 2013 revealing  there are radiation levels greater than 40 times background levels present in downwind areas of Browns Ferry.


DOWNWIND RADIATION - ADULT and INFANT DEATH RATES INCREASE
An Epidemiology study of the North Alabama areas downwind of the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant reveal a steady increase of Adult Death Rates greater than 20% of the U.S. Death Rates and an Infant Death Rate greater than 21% of the U.S. Death Rates since the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant has been in operation.
This report may be viewed at http://bredl.org/pdf4/AL_BFN_Report_2013-final-digit.pdf or our BEST/MATRR web site at http://www.matrr.org .

Because of the failed safety culture, management neglect and the defective antiquated reactor's systems it is time to close the three TVA, defective and unsafe GE Mark 1 nuclear reactors at Browns Ferry Alabama.

A concerned citizens  video report about BEST/MATRR's report.


Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Scottsboro City Council Work Session July 1, 2013

 
Monday evening was a work session of the Scottsboro City Council, there were 2 items which were discussed. 1) The Mission and Vision for the Tourism Advisory Committee was discussed, to be placed on agenda for next council meeting.
 

 
2) The Solid Waste Department has 22 dumpsters which need to be declared surplus at the next council meeting.
 
Reports: The Mayor and Mr. Miller discussed the success of the First Monday Cruise-In. Mayor Potter commented that approximately 100 cars attended the Cruise-In event.
 

 
VIDEO