Beyond Nuclear - Climate Change What's New

Ralph NaderOn Dec. 12th, Beyond Nuclear's Kevin Kamps joined with Ralph Nader (photo, left) in an hour-long presentation to the Climate Reality Check Coalition on why nuclear power is a false solution to the climate crisis.

As described in the event announcement, Ralph Nader is one of America’s most effective social critics - named by The Atlantic as one of the 100 most influential figures in American history, and by Time and Life magazines as one of the hundred most influential Americans of the twentieth century, his documented criticism of government and industry has had widespread effect on public awareness and bureaucratic power. He is a long time watch dog of the nuclear industry and critic of nuclear power.

The conference call, with about 70 participants listening in and asking questions from across the country, was hosted and moderated by Allison Fisher, Outreach Director for Public Citizen's Energy Program.

The announcement of the conference call was sent out by Rose Braz of the Center for Biological Diversity, as well as Ted Glick of Chesapeake Climate Action Network (CCAN was a coalition partner with Beyond Nuclear in the cancellation of the proposed new Calvert Cliffs 3 reactor in Maryland):

"We are pleased to have Ralph Nader and Kevin Kamps join our call to discuss why nuclear power is a false solution to the climate crisis.

The climate crisis is upon us. The world's leading climate scientists agree that time is rapidly running out and that urgent steps are needed to dramatically reduce our carbon emissions. In recent months, a small number of prominent climate activists have been urging the movement to accept nuclear power as a necessary part of the mix needed to get us off fossil fuels. Ralph Nader is a prominent spokesperson for the view that uranium fuel, as an alternative to fossil fuels, is a false choice and to address climate change and the consequences of dirty energy we must move toward a safe, efficient, sustainable and democratic energy economy, rather than promote dangerous solutions like nuclear power and fracking.

We’ll be joined by Ralph Nader and Kevin Kamps of Beyond Nuclear to discuss why nuclear is not the answer. Our discussion will include:

The exorbitant price and long completion time for bringing new reactors online; the opportunity cost of investing in nuclear power; the feasibility of a nuclear-free, carbon-free electricity sector; unique issues such as lethal waste, proliferation and safety.

The following background resources were mentioned during the course of the discussion:

Resources from NIRS and Beyond Nuclear on how to make public comments on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) "Nuclear Waste Con Game" Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement by the Dec. 20 deadline.

An opportunity for organizations to sign onto a letter by NIRS and Civil Society Institute, addressed to climate scientists James Hansen et al., urging them to reconsider their advocacy in favor of nuclear power as a climate crisis solution. Organizational sign on deadline is 5 PM Eastern, Friday, Dec. 20th. Send your name, title (optional), organization name, city and state to nirsnet@nirs.org.

IEER resources:

Arjun Makhijani's 1999 book The Nuclear Power Deception: U.S. Nuclear Mythology from "Electricity Too Cheap to Meter" to "Inherently Safe" Reactors.

Brice Smith's 2006 book Insurmountable Risks: The Dangers of Using Nuclear Power to Combat Global Climate Change.

Arjun's 2007 book Carbon-Free and Nuclear-Free: A Roadmap for U.S. Energy Policy.

UCS reports:

2011 UCS report by Doug Koplow of Earth Track, "Nuclear Power: Still Not Viable without Subsidies."

UCS's most recent nuclear power safety reports, by David Lochbaum, Director, Nuclear Safety Project.

Rocky Mountain Institute (Amory Lovins):

"Reinventing Fire" -- Electricity.

Peter Bradford resources:

Peter Bradford, along with Mark Cooper, both of the Vermont Law School, speak on the atomic reactors most at risk of near-term shutdown in the U.S. (link to audio recording of press conference at the bottom of press release).

Beyond Nuclear board member Karl Grossman's article, posted at Enformable Nuclear News, about Peter Bradford's 10/8/13 presentation in New York City (along with Ralph Nader, former Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan (who served during the first months of the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe), former NRC Chairman Greg Jaczko, and nuclear engineer and whistleblower Arnie Gundersen of Fairewinds Associates, Inc.), attended by Beyond Nuclear's Reactor Oversight Project Director, Paul Gunter.

Beyond Nuclear resources:

"It Does NOT Take an Accident: Routine Radioactive Releases from U.S. Nuclear Power Plants."

"Dirty, Dangerous, and Expensive: The Verdict is in on Nuclear Power."

"A Mountain of Radioactive Waste 70 Years High: It's Time to Stop Making It!"

(The three pamphlets above were written by Beyond Nuclear board member Kay Drey in St. Louis, MO.)

Additional Beyond Nuclear resources:

"Uranium Mining and Human Rights: The Impact on People, Our Health, and the Environment."

and

"Freeze Our Fukushimas: A Campaign to Close U.S. GE Mark I and II Boiling Water Reactors."

NIRS press release:

"All Levels of Radiation Confirmed to Cause Cancer," press release dated June 30, 2005 regarding the U.S. National Academy of Sciences Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR 7) report.