Artichoke Annie puts on a ‘sour’ performance today. Ugh. I guess this is one reason why I prefer to write rather than speak. I can’t re-read what I speak, edit it here and there, or put my tongue on pause while I go to look up a fact or two.
I don’t know why more people don’t prefer writing over speaking, to me it’s a piece of cake compared to what it takes to think on your feet, not to mention keeping emotions in check when frustration fills up every corner of your spirit.
State Rep. Cole McNary, (R) Missouri District 086
I attended a ‘Sunday Office Hours’ event with Missouri State Representative Cole McNary, (R) District 086. I admit I went because I was pretty sure I would not have to share his ear with anyone today, being a long holiday weekend where most people are out of town, in their pools or manning BBQ’s. I was correct it was a tete a tete but I made a poor showing. I was ill-prepared, me this person who lets her heart rule her head – but I don’t back down from that position, it is in my heart that I determine good from evil and right from wrong.
What I wanted to bring to Representative McNary’s attention was my concern over nuclear power and specifically the existing plant and proposed plant in Callaway County, Missouri. And my concern for long-term safety of nuclear power plants. But it was a tough NO-Sale because I came armed with ‘concern’ and not ‘dollars’ to argue my case.
I soon found that unless I could talk glibly about cost benefit analysis of shutting down the plants and switching to alternative power, such as wind, solar, natural gas, tidal… I really had nothing to bring to the table.
I was told how nuclear power brings the residents of Missouri the opportunity for cheap(er) electric power and to bring it in ABUNDANCE in the future. I brought up the fact that we will have problems with the storage of spent- fuel in the future and that idea was dismissed almost out of hand.
I was not prepared to give an economic argument for alternative power, ‘can, say wind or solar or natural gas supply power cheaper than electricity being generated at a nuclear power plant?” Or for that matter I couldn’t tell you what the value of a human life might if someone died or become ill because of a nuclear power plant accident. The military puts a value of $500,000 on a human life for soldiers serving in the Middle East – I guess we could start there. The actual value I suppose can run from less than a dollar to priceless, depending upon your belief or point of reference.
But my hour and a half with Rep. McNary wasn’t a total waste of my time; I now know what it will take to get him to listen, but changing his mind on the subject? – Whew - well that’s a whole other can of worms.
I needed a hug - and by golly I found one, thanks Dave!!!
Oh say, can you see... a nuclear free country?
Dave Stancliff/For The Times-StandardPosted: 07/03/2011 02:00:41 AM PDT
While we're celebrating Fourth of July tomorrow, I'd like to suggest there's another freedom which Americans should strive for: the freedom of not living under a nuclear shadow.
I believe we could be free of nuclear energy hazards if we could get past the politics involved in dismantling the powerful and influential nuclear energy industry. We have available alternative energies that are safer, cleaner and can do the job. It's a matter of utilizing them to their full capacities.
I'm not saying we can eliminate nuclear power plants overnight. However, it's time this country converted to safer technologies in all 50 states. The good news is California is on the right road to achieve nuke-free power.
Many large solar energy projects have been proposed in California's desert area on federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land and are awaiting approval. BLM has received right-of-way requests encompassing more than 300,000 acres for the development of approximately 34 large solar thermal power plants that will produce approximately 24,000 megawatts.
For example, the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System, located in eastern San Bernardino County, when constructed, will produce nearly 400 megawatts of clean, reliable and cost-effective electricity - nearly as much as modern power plants fueled by natural gas, without the air pollution or carbon emissions.
The project calls for three generating plants, including 346,000 billboard-sized heliostat mirrors focusing solar energy on steam boilers located on solar power towers. The developer and technology provider, BrightSource Energy, modified the project to minimize its impact on the environment. They are a good example of how utility-scale solar power plants can be built in an environmentally responsible way.
One thousand jobs are projected during the peak of it's construction, and 86 permanent jobs areprojected. The total economic benefits are estimated at $3 billion.
The project is one of twelve that have been approved and are currently under construction. The$2 billion dollar plan will bring jobs to a struggling economy and is a positive step toward shutting down unsafe nuclear power. Details on this project can be found at “Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System.”
Another example is The Blythe Solar Power Project, a solar thermal power station under construction in Riverside County. It has a parabolic trough design. Solar thermal energy will play an increasingly important roll in solving California's energy needs as we back away from the nuclear option.
Right now, we are a country waiting for a nuclear accident to happen. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) recently released a report examining the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the government agency tasked with enforcing safety regulations at U.S. nuclear plants. It said 14 investigations were launched in 2010 in response to “troubling events, safety equipment problems, and security shortcomings,” according to an Associated Press story in May.
The UCS overview of these 14 “near misses” found that many of them happened “because reactor owners, and often the NRC, tolerated known safety problems.”
On June 21st an AP investigation reported radioactive tritium leaking from three-quarters of the U.S. commercial nuclear power sites. The leaks were often into groundwater from corroded, buried piping.
The one-year investigation showed that tritium, a radioactive form of hydrogen, has leaked from at least 48 of 65 sites, according to NRC records. Leaks found in 37 of those facilities caused tritium concentrations exceeding the federal drinking water standard -- sometimes at hundreds of times the limit.
The need to phase out our nuclear plants before we experience a catastrophic event like that in Japan increases every day. We have to stop poisoning our underground water sources with byproducts from nuclear use.
Disposal of spent nuclear materials is another major pollution problem. The toxic stockpiles last thousands of years and states are increasingly unwilling to be the repositories of these radioactive materials.
Europe it seems, understands the need to get away from nuclear energy. There are 11 European countries that are nuclear-free. German lawmakers overwhelmingly approved on Thursday plans to shut the country's nuclear plants by 2022.
Italians recently rejected starting up their old nuclear power plants with a landslide referendum; 90 percent of Italy's voters said “No Nukes.”
It makes sense. We should approach the process state-by-state. Depending upon their unique environments we can utilize different types of clean energy that work best for each state.
Hopefully, California will lead the way to a future of clean and safe energy for all Americans.
As It Stands, wouldn't it be nice to someday say that we're “Nuke Free” in the USA?
Dave Stancliff is a former newspaper editor and publisher who writes this column for The Times-Standard. Comments can be sent to richstan1@suddenlink.net. To vote for Dave for President in 2012 go to http://davescolumns7777.
I'm sorry it went poorly, Annie. On the other hand, think of it as a dry run. Now you know what you need to cut them down in their tracks: figures. I'm sure groups that have been at this for a while have these figures all laid out in a handy flyer. You just need to make contact with the right people. Good luck. You'll feel better once you've stopped your first nuclear plant. You just have to get over that first radiated hump.
ReplyDeleteI know I learned a lot about what I need to do, and really the burns from being dragged over the coals barely hurts at all today. ;)
ReplyDeleteI, too, am sorry this didn't go well. If nothing else, he now knows SOME of his constiuents have problems with nuclear power though! Powerful poster. You are on the right path! Knowing you as I do from blogs, I know you will never be caught unarmed again! Thanks for speaking for all of us. And remember, you were speaking to an "R" and their ideas aren't original or people-oriented!
ReplyDeleteKatie
We do live in an era of the almighty $ - it really is what runs the show. But I am a humanitarian and people are what motivate me. that being said, I will find someone with the numbers, because in the end that's all 'they' care about -- safety and putting people in harms way is not a criteria. I mean Japan is a perfect example of that, between TEPCO and the Government even the Japanese people are now realizing they need to speak up. So greed is not exclusive to America it's pervasive through out the world.
ReplyDeletePS Katie - the two Salem power plants in NJ just got renewed for 20 years. That moved surprised some people.
"Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, expressed disappointment in the decision. "The NRC believes in license first, inspect and regulate later. They have it backward," Tittel said. "We believe outside independent experts need to review the plants and their different design features to ensure safety."
In the relicensing process, the NRC failed to address sizable tritium leaks causing contamination of groundwater near the plant, Tittel said. He also argued that the Salem plant is old, saying the federal agency failed to look at metal fatigue and other issues that come up as these facilities age."
But the argument in favor of renewing is the exact same one I heard yesterday: People need abundant and cheap power. God forbid that conserve, not consume ever become the American way.
Did you see this, Annie?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ibtimes.com/articles/177027/20110709/millions-jellyfish-invade-nuclear-reactors-japan-israel-2011-power-plant-shut-down-unusual-growth-tr.htm
Weird!
@ish - I had heard about it but had not seen the photos. When I lived on the beach in California I remember certain tidal conditions that would bring hundreds of jellyfish in to shore like this. It made swimming impossible.
ReplyDeletePoor Japan it just never ends, yesterday another 7.0 'after-shock' at the Fukushima Plant.