ACT NOW: KEEP NUCLEAR SUBSIDIES OUT OF WAXMAN-MARKEY CLIMATE BILL!

June 24, 2009

Dear Friends,

The Waxman-Markey climate bill (HR 2454) is now scheduled to reach the House floor for a final vote on Friday, June 26. The House is apparently hoping to finish work on this enormous bill in one day, which means there likely will be few, if any, amendments allowed for consideration.

Still, there is some threat that amendments will be considered. And we already have seen one proposed amendment, from Reps. Baron Hill (D-IN) and Fred Upton (R-MI), that would provide still more taxpayer nuclear subsidies--this time including subsidies and tax credits for reactor manufacturing, encouraging a nuclear workforce, and encouraging reactor exports, among other issues. If amendments are allowed, other pro-nuclear amendments are likely.

Enough is enough! Help keep nuclear subsidies out of the climate bill!

*Please send your Congressmember a letter here.

*Please call your member with this message as well: Capitol Switchboard, 202-224-3121.

*Please help us pay the continuing costs of this campaign to prevent taxpayer support for nuclear power--which, with your help, has twice blocked efforts to provide $50 billion in new nuclear loan guarantees. We can't match the nuclear industry's spending, but your contributions of any size are greatly appreciated and keep this campaign going!

Even if amendments are not allowed, opponents of the climate bill are likely to be given the opportunity to offer a full substitute bill. We have not yet seen such a bill, but this could well include key provisions of the Republicans' energy policy, including support for construction of 100 new reactors.

The climate bill itself, which aims to place a price on carbon, is an indirect benefit to nuclear power. As a low-carbon emitter compared to coal, nuclear will benefit economically as the price of using coal rises. And that should be enough support for nuclear--our taxpayer dollars must not be used to support this dirty and dangerous technology.

Thus, it is important to contact your House members now and let them know that enough is enough: there must be no more taxpayer support for nuclear power in the climate bill.

*Please send your Congressmember a letter here.

*Please call your member with this message as well: Capitol Switchboard, 202-224-3121.

*Please help us pay the continuing costs of this campaign to prevent taxpayer support for nuclear power--which, with your help, has twice blocked efforts to provide $50 billion in new nuclear loan guarantees. We can't match the nuclear industry's spending, but your contributions of any size are greatly appreciated and keep this campaign going!.

Note: While we believe the climate bill is very weak and have endorsed efforts to strengthen it, we have not taken a position on passage of the bill. We recognize that some environmental groups oppose it because it is so weak, others support it as the best that can be achieved right now. If you want to express your position on the bill itself, please feel free to edit your letter to your House member appropriately.

Thanks for all you do,

Michael Mariotte

Executive Director

Nuclear Information and Resource Service

nirsnet@nirs.org

www.nirs.org

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