Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2007 01:02:22 -0700
To: No Nukes List
From: Don Eichelberger <done7777@sbcglobal.net>
Subject: framing

From the 4/1/07 meeting on Nuclear Renewal
 
Following are Project ideas, Nuclear framing issues and Legislative responses gleaned from the meeting notes of the April 1 meeting on nuclear resurgence, which I took.   I hope this will help us focus the issues and hone our arguments.
 
Don
 
I. Project Ideas

1. We need an economic analysis of the original 1967 Certificate of Public Necessity and Convenience.  A lot could have changed in that time and we should assess if the analysis made at the time is still valid.
2. We need to link nuclear power, nuclear weapons and global warming allies more closely
CalPIRG learned it is very hard to shut an operating plant.  But now, the plants operating license is coming to an end.  The Republican-packed NRC seems poised to allow a 20-year license extension to any plant that requests it, and this is where PIRG is focusing its efforts. 
 
They have issued a report on the high costs of nuclear power.  They are also involved on low level waste dumping, as well as working with regional and national groups not to buy the line that nuclear power is an answer to global warming.

Abalone Alliance- Bush is pushing for a new generation of breeder reactors to provide plutonium from spent fuel rods to provide mixed oxide fuels (MOX).  At nuclear facilities all over the US and world, there are active groups, but there has been no major issue to coalesce around, as of yet.
Community Choice Aggregation needs to be pushed in more local communities.  Can be used to educate people about the energy they are fed and how to get more local control of it.
We need to work to get retail prices for solar energy fed in to the grid by private home energy arrays (as is done in Europe).  Rather than offsetting wholesale rates with reversible metering, reimbursing retail rates for the energy will give added incentive to go solar.
Solar community needs to be mobilized.
A campaign called  Be part of the solution will put a solar array on a private home for free and sell the energy at a reduced rate to the home owner in a lease agreement. We need to identify ways we can get this kind of  info to consumers

3. Fresno has been identified as a possible nuclear reactor site-  supported by IBEW and Fresno Mayor.  Presents many Environmental Justice issues as it is a very poor, largely Hispanic community.
 
4. Waste routes is another important issue.  DOE is willing to concede to the state of Nevada and not carry wastes close by the states largest city, Las Vegas.  Instead, wastes from the southern states will some through California, up the Central Valley and then back over the Sierras and down to Yucca Mt.  Outreach is beginning to legislators along the proposed route to sign on to a joint resolution opposing the plan.
The Sacramento legislator did not know that radioactive waste was still being stored at Rancho Seco.  Running up against a lot of ignorance on the issue.
5. Seeking ways to get the dialogue started with investors about the risks of license extensions.
6. Help also needed for lobbying in Sac.
7. Japan has started offering to build GE-type reactors and guaranteeing investor investments.
8.  MoveOn.org or others need to be approached to do letter writing campaigns.
9. Blog-RSS Reader technology-  Roger Herried, Abalone Alliance SEC-  New technology is evolving that can help us organize better using the blogosphere.  Using RSS readers, web logs can be set up that can help with organizing in real time.  Roger is willing to help get people up to speed.  rogerh@energy-net.org
10. A4NR is promoting an international campaign to get everyone to turn off all their lights for five minutes- 7:55-8 P.M. on the first of every month, to call attention to safe energy and conservation.  Been doing it since 2/1.  It not only sends a message, but has been shown to save megawatts of power in some countries that have responded to it.

II. Nuclear Power Weaknesses To Exploit and Issues Raised

Steam Generator Replacements-Steam generators at Diablo Canyon, San Onofre and most other nuclear power reactors are becoming embrittled due to radioactivity.  They will need to be replaced, some after only half of their expected life span
 
Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility has told CEC that they are not doing their job in not more closely overseeing the relicensing process.  CEC has not taken a strong role in nuclear oversight since Jerry Brown was Governor.  2 weeks ago, they announced they would hold hearings.
 
In 2005 there was a 2-day national workshop that included DOE, Yucca representatives, NRC, Bradford, Lovins, Harding and others.  The report conclusion:maintain the ban due to problems identified and a cost analysis is needed for license extensions

Other issues

• Waste issue alone will not stop NP.
• Risk is an issue people respond to
• Energy security is another strong argument against nuclear power,  If an accident or attack happens at any nuke, likely that all nukes will be turned off, putting the whole system at risk
• NRC safety considerations have not considered the scenario of a nuclear employee going postal, despite the stresses of the job and several incidences involving employee conduct in the last 6 months.  It is sobering to understand the power such an employee might be able to help make go out of control
• How public opinion is formed around this issue needs to be addressed- try to get artists involved to help educate the public.
• Pelosi, Clinton and others keep nukes on the table.  Have been lobbied to remove the option in American energy policy.
• Arjun Makhijani has done very thorough analysis  http://www.ieer.org/
• Lovins and Makhijani both have info on global warming and economic costs.
• We need to acknowledge the problems with global warming, and show how nuclear power can only marginally mitigate it, at best, and then only with massive investments that would take away from more effective solutions.  This is Makhijani?s thesis.
• A major point needs to be proliferation
• Developing countries hold nuclear power as a holy grail for development, and needs to be addressed
• The US is reinvesting massively in nuclear weapons development, and setting a double standard in the world
• And what?s with all this talk about safe nuclear reactors being built in Pakistan, India, South Korea, etc.?  This kind of disinformation will be the hardest for us to confront
• Transportation sector adds a lot more global warming gasses than electricity, and that needs to be addressed
• National Energy Commission and other national groups are pushing nuclear power discretely
• We should focus on our efforts in CA.  The issues is winnable here, and we have some of the best representatives on the issue and the ban on new nukes. State Attorney General Jerry Brown may be helpful, also.  Other states will be watching for victories here that they can incorporate as precedent setting for their activities.
• Schwarzenegger, for better or worse, has made CA the leader in opposing global warming.  Lifting the nuke ban could send a very bad message.

III. Legislation-
 
AB 1632- Legislation was needed to mandate the study, and AB 1632, introduced by Blakeslee was passed and signed by Gov. Schwarzenegger. 
 
NRC relicenses are pre-approved.  Mandating PUC to call for studies won?t help, as CPUC is no more trustworthy than NRC.  The studies were kept under the purview of CEC.  A4NR is pushing for legislation that will not allow license extension until the cost/benefit analysis is complete and remediation implemented.
 
Nuclear Energy Institute is leaning on PG&E not to back down on Diablo Canyon.
 
Leno and Huffman, sounded sympathetic to legislation on cost analysis for license extensions.
 
AB 719, http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsframeset2text.htm introduced by DeVore and LaMalfa, would repeal the states ban on new nukes until waste storage issues are resolved, citing the need to address global warming.  Both Assemblymen voted against the global warming bill passed last year.
 
It has been scheduled for an April 16th hearing of the Natural Resources Committee, where it is expected to die, although calls, letters and bodies at the hearing would be good to assure its demise. http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/newcomframeset.asp?committee=18
 
Everyone should send letters to committee members and legislators opposing AB 719.

A bill has also been introduced by Blakeslee calling for money for emergency planning around nuclear power reactors.  Office of Emergency Services in San Diego told Rochelle that they did not need the money as radiation dissipates after 10 miles
 
Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility Report on legislation and lobbying is looking for ways to amend the state ban on new nuclear plants to include relicensing of existing plants.