Safety

March 27, 2008 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today convened a statewide conference on school safety at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain. The conference included Connecticut school officials from all levels of education – from elementary school to college – and addressed ways to review and improve security measures and response plans. The conference follows tragedies from shootings on the Northern Illinois University campus last month and on the Virginia Tech campus last year.

“We must plan for the worst – for an incident at one of our own schools or college campuses,” Governor Rell told the conference attendees. “Coordination, communication and anticipation must be our watchwords.    » read more »

Governor Asks Public to Comment on Suggested Ideas

March 27, 2008 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today released 20 new draft proposals on teen safe driving that aim to further broaden the state’s overhaul of the licensing, regulation, education of young drivers.

The draft proposals from subcommittees of her Task Force on Teen Safe Driving will be reviewed by the full task force with the goal of recommending action to the Governor. Governor Rell is releasing them so that the public can comment about them prior to the task force voting in May on which ones to recommend. The full list of recommendations is attached.    » read more »

March 19, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and U.S. Representative Jason Altmire (D-PA) today announced $42,312,000 they secured along with Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Representative Mike Doyle (D-PA) for rehabilitation of Emsworth Locks and Dams in Allegheny County. This project was one of the members’ top priorities in the FY08 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill.    » read more »

March 19, 2008 -- “Today's announcement is a step in the right direction, and I hope that as the process moves forward, this panel will deliver the kind of thorough, transparent investigation of safety, security and emergency preparedness at Indian Point that many have been asking for.

However, many details remain to be filled in, and as the panel begins their work, I urge them to consider input from stakeholders around the plant to ensure that the full range of concerns is addressed in the evaluation.”

Source: Senator Hillary Clinton

19 March 2008 -- The Indonesian government has suspended low-cost air carrier Adam Air, citing safety concerns. The budget carrier has been plagued accidents and mishaps in the last several years.

Indonesia Transport Ministry spokesman Bambang Erfan gave the news.

"The Adam Air has been grounded since last night at zero o'clock," he said. "The director general of civil aviation, the ministry of transportation, has sent a letter to the management of Adam Air that stated operations has already been suspended."    » read more »

18 March 2008 -- The U.S. aviation agency has ordered a review of maintenance records at all U.S. airlines, after safety violations were reported at Southwest Airlines.

The acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration, Robert Sturgell, Tuesday said the recent lapse at one airline prompted the decision to confirm that all other carriers were in full compliance.

Sturgell said an initial review would be completed by March 28, and the full audit would conclude by the end of June.    » read more »

March 18, 2008 -- Trenton, NJ – New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram today formally launched the state’s historic gun trace partnership with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the issuance of a new law enforcement directive that orders all local police departments to input data on guns used in the commission of a crime to the New Jersey State Police and the ATF.    » read more »

Attorney Representing 300 Members of Congress Available

March 17, 2008 -- March 17, Oakland, Calif—After nearly 70 years of silence regarding the Second Amendment, the U.S. Supreme Court is presiding over the District of Columbia vs. Heller and oral arguments will be held tomorrow.

At issue, as attorney and Independent Institute Research Fellow Stephen P. Halbrook explains in his new book The Founders’ Second Amendment (June 6, 2008 / Ivan R. Dee / $28.95), is whether the Second Amendment protects a private citizen’s right to keep arms in the home.    » read more »

March 17, 2008 -- CONCORD - CQ Press today named New Hampshire the “Safest State” in the nation for 2008.

New Hampshire boasts the nation’s lowest murder rate and second-lowest rates for aggravated assault and burglary, according to CQ Press.    » read more »

Statement of Joan Claybrook, President, Public Citizen*

March 12, 2008 -- The study released today by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety adds to the mountain of evidence that the federal government is not doing enough to protect the public from deadly rollover crashes.    » read more »

March 10, 2008 -- “As the scope of the Indian Point relicensing process is further defined this week, I continue to believe that it is vital that the NRC consider the full range of public concerns about Indian Point. Indian Point’s location near a major population center raises unique questions that the existing relicensing process does not guarantee review of, such as emergency preparedness.    » read more »

March 4, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: LDR 1200 Series Gas Connectors

Units: About 50,000

Importer: LDR Industries Inc., of Chicago, Ill.

Manufacturer: Sai lin Ke, of Beijing, China

Hazard: The gas connectors can leak propane or natural gas, posing a fire and explosion hazard to consumers.    » read more »

March 4, 2008 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today held a news conference at a rest area on Interstate 95 in Fairfield County to highlight the elements of her budget proposals that stress traffic and highway safety, including the addition of 100 new state troopers devoted exclusively to enforcing traffic laws and two new Department of Motor Vehicles “truck squads” to target companies with a history of safety violations.    » read more »

March 3, 2008 -- AUGUSTA, MAINE — County and state emergency management officials are reminding Mainers of risks associated with the snow piled up on roofs and around vents.

“We strongly recommend that residents and business owners take steps to clear snow off their roofs,” MEMA Director Rob McAleer said today. “The roof failure at Sacopee Valley High School underscores the damage that can occur from the sheer weight of so much snow. Snow on the roof can also cause ice dams, permanent roof damage and leaks.”    » read more »

Peach Bottom was the main topic of discussion at hearing

WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today testified at an Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on the safety of our nuclear security plants. At the hearing, which was held by the Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety, Senator Casey discussed the recent problems at Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station and also questioned to the members of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) about the procedures in place for security.    » read more »