Dear Friends,
From a nuclear power perspective, the Kerry-Lieberman “climate” bill would be the single most destructive piece of legislation, that actually has some chance for passage, that I have seen in my 25 years at NIRS. The Bush Administration could scarcely have imagined a bill like this passing the U.S. Senate.
We must defeat it. Our entire future is at stake.
I ask every person receiving this message to please send a letter to your Senators now. And then please pass this action link on to two or three of your friends, relatives, neighbors, colleagues, church, school, environmental and other groups and give them the opportunity to send a letter too: http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5502/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=3016
And I ask every organization–all 200 of them (actually, another dozen or so have signed in the past 24 hours) that signed the press statement Wednesday–to send the link to your members and encourage them to weigh in too: http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5502/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=3016
Still skeptical that this bill is a nuclear-first, coal and oil-second, and climate-last bill? Here is what the Nuclear Energy Institute had to say about the bill. Also quickly endorsing the bill were nuclear utilities Exelon and NRG Energy, among others.
The trade publication E&E led off their report on the bill this way: “The highly anticipated climate bill set to be unveiled today may just provide the last push the U.S. nuclear industry needs to build a fleet of new reactors….The nuclear title in the climate bill by Sens. John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) includes nearly all of the industry’s wish list including tax incentives, expanded regulatory risk insurance, a $54 billion loan guarantee fund and an expedited licensing process….”
We thought you might want to see a little of the coverage/reaction from release of the 200-group statement. Here is an article from Environment News Service. Here is what The New Republic wrote. And here is a piece from SustainableBusiness.com.
The issue is really pretty simple. If you want a nuclear-powered future, support the Kerry-Lieberman bill. If you don’t, oppose it, and oppose it as loud and angrily as you possibly can. Again, please contact your Senators here. And please help us spread the word: http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5502/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=3016
We don’t have the budget of the big “green groups” (and too many of them seem to be leaning toward supporting this bill! If you are a member of one of them, we encourage you to contact them and let them know this bill must be opposed) nor of the nuclear utilities. We rely on your help to reach everyone we possibly can and give everyone the opportunity to weigh in with their Senators. Your activism is essential. And your contributions so we can buy some more ads to promote the action page would be very helpful too. You can make a secure, tax-deductible donation here, or you can send us a check at NIRS, 6930 Carroll Avenue, #340, Takoma Park, MD 20912.
And now for the good news:
Yesterday we sponsored a press conference (along with Nuclear Energy Information Service, Grand Canyon Sierra Club and Minnesota Clean Water Action) pointing out that the nuclear industry has been completely shut out in state legislatures this year. Of their 8 major initiatives, the industry lost all 8! That’s because of the great work of grassroots groups across the country. Read our press release here.
Let’s build on that great work and defeat the Kerry-Lieberman bill. You know, it is hard for us to oppose a climate bill–we desperately need to implement real solutions to our climate crisis. But this bill, no matter how some try to spin it, would be a giant step backward. It would set our nation on the wrong energy path for decades to come and squander the resources we need to build a clean, safe, affordable energy future. Rather than propping up the dirty and dangerous energy sources of the past, we need to implement the renewable, efficient and smart energy sources of the 21st century. If we first have to defeat a “climate” bill to do so, then that’s what we’ll have to do….
Again, whether you’ve never written your Senators before or whether you’ve written them 100 times this year, please contact your Senators now. And please send this link to everyone you can and give them the opportunity to contact their Senators as well: http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5502/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=3016.
Thanks so much for all you do,
Michael Mariotte
Executive Director
Nuclear Information and Resource Service