Posted: 06/19/08 16:29, Edited: 06/19/08 16:31
by Dave Mindeman
Before I start, I would like to declare from the outset that I am not a big fan of the use of nuclear power plants. However, as we move into dangerous territory on global warming, I have come to accept the fact that we need more action on this front and nuclear energy IS clean energy. We continue to struggle with the economics of ethanol depleting food sources and the constant drone of inaccurate but media savvy global deniers blocking political action in this arena.
Therefore, the movement toward nuclear power has become the least objectionable of a lot of not very good choices. Obama and McCain seem to both be leaning that way....although Obama has a more cautionary approach....which is good.
However, here is the problem I wanted to discuss....and it involves my favorite anti-earth candidate, Michele Bachmann. In her ridiculously named "No More Excuses Energy Bill", this provision is neatly tucked into the nuclear energy portion:
SEC. 301. WASTE CONFIDENCE.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission may not deny an application for a license, permit, or other authorization under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 on the grounds that sufficient capacity does not exist, or will not become available on a timely basis, for disposal of spent nuclear fuel or high-level radioactive waste from the facility for which the license, permit, or other authorization is sought.
Emphasis mine.
The most troubling aspect of moving toward nuclear power in a big way is nuclear waste. We derive about 20% of our energy from nuclear plants that are on-line now. We still have not come up with a proper method of waste disposal. We do not have a repository.. we do not have standards for shipment of the waste.... we simply do not have a plan.
Rep. Bachmann is telling us that her solution to this very real problem is to not only ignore it, but make it ILLEGAL for the government to even consider it, as criteria for nuclear licenses.
Who elected this person?
It would seem that Ms. Bachmann must have high confidence that the "rapture" is coming very soon, because her idea of legislation certainly has little to do with looking to any future for this planet.
She has no regard in the least for earth's environmental concerns. Drill for oil everywhere.... contaminate the country with nuclear waste... energy efficient light bulbs are, to her, a joke...and global warming is "a hoax".
Somebody needs to tell Rep. Bachmann that problems do not go away by ignoring them. I'm hoping that that somebody is the voters of the 6th Congressional District.
Wind is significantly cheaper and nuclear has almost tripled in cost in recent years. As the Economist pointed out in 2001, "Nuclear, once claimed too cheap to meter, is now too costly to matter." We shouldn't even consider Michele Bachmann's welfare mother approach to nuclear until we've reached at least 25%-40% wind and can't find enough new sources like micro cogeneration to account for wind's variability.