Late last week the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s three-judge panel told Georgia utilities their application to build two new reactors at Plant Vogtle was incomplete because it failed to consider how nuclear waste would be managed if a storage site remains unavailable when the new reactors begin operation.
Then came the bombshell of Energy Secretary Stephen Chu’s announcement that the Department of Energy was dropping plans to store radioactive waste at Yucca Mountain in Nevada after a 27-year, $13.5 billion outlay.
Earlier, Congress killed a $50 billion subsidy for the nuclear industry from its stimulus plan. And Wall Street won’t touch such high-risk investments in this worst of all possible economic worlds.
What to do?
Georgia House legislators, in a 207-66 vote, approved a sweetheart license plan adopted by the utilities known as (CWIP) construction work in progress.
That means you start paying for the nukes now and, 10 or 12 years from now your homes will be juiced with nuclear electricity—provided the plants are ever built and that you’re still alive to enjoy the fruits of their labor. Otherwise, it’s billions of dollars sucked from the economy that could have gone for renewable energy.
If an automobile dealer offered to deliver a 2020 Jazzmatic SUV 10 or 12 years from now if you started making payments today, you’d think he was loony. But the powerful utilities, rather than risk their own capital, prefer the pay-them-as-you-go plan.
“Radioactive nuclear waste is already piling up right here in Georgia,” said Bobbie Paul, executive director of Georgia WAND (Women’s Action for New Directions). “Nuclear reactors continue to leave a horrible legacy for all future generations. It’s totally irresponsible for the utilities to push a plan that will only make this situation worse.”
The Rev. Charles Utley, pastor of a church in Waynesboro within view of Plant Vogtle and a community organizer for the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, said, “Radioactive waste storage in Burke County puts our people’s lives at risk. It’s an injustice.”
“Utilities should instead build clean, safe and affordable energy solutions such as wind, solar, tidal and biopower that don’t pose these risks,” declared Sara Barczak, program director with Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, one of the intervening organizations in their Savannah field office.
LaGrange, though it has no shortage of electricity, is part of the Municipal Electric Authority of Georgia (MEAG) and has agreed to buy a portion of the two new reactors proposed for the Vogtle site. Plans are to
sell the electricity it has obligated to buy to Jacksonville, Fla., and to a South Alabama utility.
The NRC’s licensing board will conduct a further hearing for the contentions to the early site permit from March 16-19. in Augusta.
Fortunately, the people appear to have an ally in their corner, Barack Hussein Obama, America’s first black president, who also is a deep shade of green.
You are right. There are certain things that our divergent worldviews won't allow agreement on, but that is okay.
You raise some valid concerns that I think many on the "left" share with you:
1) The national debt has been getting out of hand for decades, largely since the U.S. shifted manufacturing overseas and began importing so many goods (something that I think can be tied to both political parties and the desires of major corporations). I personally like elements of the stimulus package, but do believe that the approach is rife with potential danger and I share your fears about the debt. To reduce the debt is simple: either spend less or bring in more money (or both ideally). Neither political party seems very capable today to handle this seemingly simple task, and I don't think they will in the near term (short of absolute economic or societal collapse).
2) Nuclear versus other alternatives - I think that in acknowledging the long-term possibilities, you are open to the idea that developing alternative energies is also a long-term strategy. I hope we can agree that the history of nuclear plant construction has been full of vastly inflated final costs versus the initial budget (often cost overruns have been at a factor of three or four times the initial projected cost, and you and I will bear that cost as either energy consumers or taxpayers). Why not develop wind, solar, biomass, etc. alternatives, which can be developed at a small-scale (so you can power YOUR fridge and get your beer, and I can have my wine cooler) (joking!)? Most energy experts say this is region has a lot of potential for solar energy, and there could be significant development of wind energy off of the Georgia coast. There will be some NIMBYism then as well, but really, who wants a nuclear plant in their town? Even if we acknowledge the likelihood of a meltdown or a terrorist attack is infinitesmal, I don't imagine there are too many of us who will want to take that chance. So where do these facilities, which don't produce a lot of jobs either, end up located? And like you said, the waste issue has not been resolved, so where do we store the waste, which will be MUCH more significant that most acknowledge now, especially if we grow nuclear to necessary levels to fuel our ever-growing consumption over the next few decades. As an environmentalist, I believe we ALL need to consider the impact we are having on the planet by the way we live our lives (i.e. our levels of consumption), and in thinking about that, I actually find inspiration and insight from many of the "old school conservatives," who were worried about many of these issues a century or more ago. Unfortunately, when these issues get raised, too many people reflexively think you are trying to "take away their rights." I would counter that ALL OF US need to remember that with the high level of freedom with have comes great responsibility, and in too many areas I believe our high levels of selfishness and greed have overriden our more noble intentions and have led us to (intentionally or not) do great harm to the nation, the rest of the world, and the health of the planet (and I include in this many of my "liberal" peers who preach one thing and do another). Even if we disagree, lets continue to do so in a civil manner, otherwise we may ALL go down together!
I too would like answers to the issues and problems that plague us and I am very passionate about my viewpoints as you can tell. Im sure that as Americans we can agree on principles that define who we truly are as Americans. We will not always agree on policy, but I'm sure our founding fathers had many heated debates about the framework of our great society. So with that being said...Let me offer an apology for my crudness.
My Golden Boy comment was mainly how the media portrays this man. As he is larger than life itself and how he can do no wrong. I also do not like the fact that the media always seems to say "during his 1st term" as if he's been elected to a 2nd term already. Personally I disagree with that but they are allowed to do as they wish.
I do not agree with his choices of certain cabinet members some of whom cant seem to figure out how Turbo Tax works to pay their own taxes yet dont seem to mind raising mine.
I do not agree with printing trillions of dollars and monetizing our debt as a last ditch effort to "Stimulate" our economy. I equate it to the same thing as trying to pay off one credit card with another. It just doesnt work. You are still paying for it in the end.
Can we agree that there is a level of acceptable debt that has a direct relation to our GDP and that we have exceeded that level? Also what would you as a Liberal suggest to bring the debt level down?
China and other countries are talking about dumping our treasuries. That is our debt that they own and have recently asked us to "make good on" or in other words gaurantee that money. How do we do that if our dollar has no value because of hyper inflation as in the case of Zimbabwe? Did they not try to do the same thing we are doing?
I dont think that my analysis of the election was at all arrogant, but our views differ and I can respect that. I would like for you to give me more examples of how Reagan hated black people? Personally I would like for all the racial division to stop. I do not believe that it benefits anyone other than those who tend to make alot of money off of it. Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton and the NAACP. Just my opinion. Also I would like to stop with the hyphenating such as "African-American" or "Irish-American" I dont like playing the political correctness game. It drives me insane.
What would you suggest that we do with Nuclear waste? How many options do we really have? Ideas and suggestions are welcome.
Im glad you are open to the possibility of the useage of nuclear power and we can both agree that the cost far exceed short term advantage but to me personally its a long term investment. Its like buying a car now that will not be built into 2015. I'm not sure about it having much to prove as far as effectiveness goes. I think the last 60 years proves that its viable but then again we enter the "waste debate" again.
" Let's face it, we are a COAL powered society at present, and a large factor behind that is government backing with MONEY over decades. So why not strip all the subsidies away from ALL types of energy and let the "best one" win?"
I agree with that as long as government acts responsibly by not hindering progress with unresponsible legislation like Cap and Trade. The truth is I just want my light to come on when I flip the switch. I want my fridge to keep my beer cold. I dont really care how they produce the power that does those things as long as I am not paying an arm, a leg and my first born for service. In actually Im not against any of these alternate sources of energy, but then again it goes back to your point about nuclear power and cost effectiveness same argument only vice versa. IMO of course.
I dont want to debate the war because its a losing battle either way you argue. wouldnt you agree? I think we have bigger issues with Russia flying fighters and bombers over out aircraft carriers at 500 ft and N. Korea threatning a war over a missle shot. I will ask this of you though. IF we invaded Iraq for oil. Then why isnt gasoline way cheaper than it is? I dont want to argue. I would like to hear your opinion.
In closing I would like to say thank you for bringing me back to the center where I should be in my thinking and I see how easy it is to cross over the threshold and swing wildly to the right and how Liberals see that as dangerous. We as educated American citizens should be level headed and look for the best arguments for and against something despite our political association. Just like the founding fathers we should be willing to pledge our Lives our Fortune and our Sacred Honor to one another.
My Fellow American. You have the floor...
Why is it that most conservatives immediately go to the "golden boy," "messiah," or other types of snarky little comments when discussing Obama? To begin with, your analysis of the election results is terribly flawed. Talk about arrogance - being UNEDUCATED is a reason to vote for Obama over the McCain and Palin? THAT SIR IS ARROGANT! Most importantly, look at the results of the election closely. There was not a large shift in the white vote in this election, AND African Americans have consistently voted for the Dems in huge numbers since the Good Ole Days of Reagan's Southern Strategy (actually even before that, but you want to talk about blatant RACISM in politics - that speech he gave to start his campaign in Philadelphia, MS was the archetype of coded racist pap!). But I digress...
No one wants the waste near them, including the people of the great state of Nevada - thus the whole phenomenon of "NIMBY." I have an idea - why don't we invade another country so we can store the waste there? We already did it for oil... oh wait, that war was for legitimate purposes (taking out a despot whom GHWB and his cronies once supported).
You are correct that the countries that have shifted to alternatives are significantly smaller than the U.S., though Germany is in the midst of a huge shift to solar, and while not the size of the U.S., that is certainly a large country and large economy which needs a lot of energy to survive. You may be surprised to learn that in my dogmatic, silly little liberal head, I'm actually open to the possibilities of nuclear power, though I think that the costs have consistently proven to be much greater than the benefits (costs that I don't think you are taking seriously with your comments). Nuclear has as much to prove in terms of overall cost effectiveness on a grand scale as do the alternatives, IMO. Let's face it, we are a COAL powered society at present, and a large factor behind that is government backing with MONEY over decades. So why not strip all the subsidies away from ALL types of energy and let the "best one" win? That is a nice, market oriented approach, no?
I'm going to refrain from further comment on the Second Amendment, and I won't get baited into the Climate Change issue (though I would point out that some call it that now because some people don't understand that "global warming" does not mean that it will be hotter EVERYWHERE EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR, but that over time the Earth is warming, and that there are significant effects on the climate).
I really do want solutions to the issues that face us, and to be clear, there are some SERIOUS, civilizational threats out there today! However, I was inspired to snarkiness by your rather crude responses to Mr. Honicker ("typical liberal garbage"; "lets go Green crap,"; and the last few paragraphs of obnoxious tripe). If you want real solutions, lets discuss them, and accept my apologies for the condescension. If you want character assassination and rude exchanges, lets go to it. I can keep that up with the best of them. Either way, good luck and God bless.
I quoted you because I find it insulting that you would end your post in such a manner. It insults my intelligence but I wouldnt expect anything less from a Liberal who thinks they are smarter than us dumb ol common sense folk. So I'll humor you. Where to begin?
Lets see. 60 years of using atomic energy for peaceful and defensive purposes and the associated waste. Im pretty sure the government knows how to handle and store the stuff. The Yucca Mountain complex was built for such a purpose but funding was cut in half in 06 by congress. Your golden boy Barry Obama cut ALL funding for the project and how has to come up with a new plan for storing the waste long term. If you look at the map on the Yucca Mountain Repository website you will see that some nuclear waste is buried in our back yard right here in GA.
Character flaws: There are a whole list that we could name here for both parties. Right? I think we can agree on that.
"one significant piece of evidence that "liberalism" is more acceptable to Americans today is the election of Barack Obama"
I disagree. I believe that this is the result of uneducated voters and whites feeling guilty and not wanting to be called a racist. The democrats chose this man because they know that he would not be challenged and that it would make America "Feel Good" to have a black president. On top of that they new damn good and well that they would get the black vote. This man wasnt elected because he was the best man for the job. He was elected because he used racism as a tool and easily won the black vote. And what about voter fraud? Dare I say ACORN?
We can agree that Americans want real soloutions to our problems. Of course we do but democrats and Republicans are BOTH guilty of greed and self-interest.
Reagan inherited a recession from "Mr. Peanut" who was a democrat btw. Reagan cut the top rate marginal tax and slowly the economy started to recover. Why is it that the Democrats think that taxing me more is going to help out?
I want an active government. I want my government to do the right thing that is constitutionally allowed and based in principle. Not this ever expanding monster of a government that even George W Bush helped to create with creating another department ie. Homeland Security that still cant seem to do the job right.
" If you want to sit there and assume our problems were caused by government interference and over-regulation, that is your right"
I never said that government was the complete cause of all of this mess. Government legislation has definitley played a role in helping create this problem. Look at the Community Reinvestment Act and Freddie and Fannie and the government passing legislation forcing banks to make bad loans to people who didnt deserve the loans to begin with and would have not gotten the loans otherwise. Should some things be regulated? YES, but let business and the capitalist system work. If you make stupid decisions and go out of business well then too bad for you. Dont come to me as a tax payer and ask me to bail your ass out for being an idiot and mismanaging your business.
" have no problem with the second Amendment"
Good me either.
"I have a problem with the fact that most people who sing its praises don't understand the roots of it, and even more so don't know what it actually says"
Please enlighten me? Because as I understand it our founding fathers knew how dangerous an unchecked government could be and that our guns were the last thing that stood in between me and an opressive government. But since you are so intelligent (as all Liberals are) why dont you talk down to me so I understand?
Now since I obviously am unintelligent why dont you explain some more about the subsidies for coal and nuclear. Id like to know more.
"In countries where alternative energy R&D was promoted, the costs for wind, solar, etc. are QUITE competitive with coal and new-cew-ler!"
Really? so thats why France gets most of its power from "New-cew-ler" power? Also look at the power requirements for the places that promost these types of alternates. Its not even close to our power demand here in the United States. So how do you justify it?
Im not against any of these to be honest with you. Lets do it all, but with the understanding that it isnt going to be cheap and it isnt going to make up the difference in demand. I want technology that I know works. I want a better argument than "It causes Global Warming" or "Global Climate Change" since your side cant seem to make up its mind now about it.
And to play the environmentalist here...No I dont want to blow up mountains.
So please feel free to insult me and my lack of understanding and intelligence again soon. I so look forward to it.
First, just because you claim that "they" know how to handle it and store it does not make it true. Provide proof for this claim (one of the big problems with liberals is they rely on facts way too much - sorry about that pesky, annoying character flaw on our part).
Second, one significant piece of evidence that "liberalism" is more acceptable to Americans today is the election of Barack Obama. Now I have significant issues with many of his proposals, but that is because many are not "liberal" enough. However, his election is a clear repudiation of the Reagan through Bush II twenty-five years of increasingly out of touch loony wing presidencies. And yes, Willie Boy Clinton is included in there as well, since his most notable achievements in office (NAFTA, Welfare "reform," etc.) were certainly NOT liberal, in the modern usage of the term. Americans want solutions to the real problems that have been caused by decades of unchecked greed and self-interest. This has been observed for years in public opinion surveys, where solid majorities express a clear preference for ACTIVE government (though they often are unwilling to pay for it through taxes, etc.). If you want to sit there and assume our problems were caused by government interference and over-regulation, that is your right, even though it is DEMONSTRABLY FALSE!
I have no problem with the second Amendment, though I have a problem with the fact that most people who sing its praises don't understand the roots of it, and even more so don't know what it actually says.
Your point about the private sector belies a lack of understanding of R&D. The reason why alternative R&D went overseas is because of HEAVY SUBSIDIES for coal and nuclear, going back decades. In countries where alternative energy R&D was promoted, the costs for wind, solar, etc. are QUITE competitive with coal and new-cew-ler! However, in the U.S., the prioritizing of coal and nuclear led to the cheapening of the relative unit costs for coal (NOT nukes however - they always run WAY over cost, due in part to delays caused by environmentalist concerns, but mostly due to other factors). Most importantly though, the cheap, (relatively) easily accessible coal has generally been gotten, and now we have to blow up mountains to get most of it. This may not matter to you here in the valley, but if you lived in the mountains of Appalachia, you might sing a different tune.
I'll stop now. I await the continuation of this "debate."
how is liberlism more acceptable to Americans? and why?
I dont bury my ammo. I keep it next to my bed right next to my gun.
Who said I was in a militia?
Lets have an open and honest debate. Im willing to listen.
How is Liberalism acceptable? I would like to hear your side of the argument.
Who said I was a member of a milita?
Im not a Liberal so I wont be burying my ammo sorry..I know that makes you mad and angry but Im willing to give you a hug to make you feel better about it.
Sorry yea I believe in that thing called the 2nd Amendment. I have the right to bear arms. Im sure that upsets you too.
Its ok...you have chosen which side to fight for and so have I. See you on the battlefield.
This is typical Liberal garbage.
wind, solar, tidal and biopower. Ok lets do all that but those sources will never provide the ammount of power that coal and nuclear power provide. You may get 2% or more at best, but those type of power are unreliable at this time.
If they were worth investing in then private power companies would have already invested millions and billions into them over 30 years ago when all these technologies came into being.
Why are you so against nuclear power? Its clean and produces very little waste actually. Although the waste is highly dangerous it can be handled and stored in a safe and efficient manner.
We know they arent going to allow them to build the new reactors because of people like you with this "Lets go Green" crap. You people want us all to suffer because you want us back in the 1880's and using candles and oil lamps and no air conditioning. I say the hell with you people. Stop trying to invade my life and take away my right to chose how I want to live.
You do not have the right to infringe on my rights, or to impede my pursuit of happiness. So my message to all of you Liberals is..STOP SCREWING WITH MY PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.
If I ran the power companies and didnt have this Liberal government standing in the way I would buid the reactors just to piss you Liberals off and then laugh at you till I cried. Also I would bury the waste in your backyards and laugh at you while you start to glow in the dark. LOL.
Now I'm going to go have a cold beer and clean my gun while reading my bible.
DOWN WITH LIBERALISM AND SOCIALISM