Questions for TMI's renewal {Three Mile Island}

pennlive.com ^ | 10/2/2008 | ERIC EPSTEIN

[shove_it]

TMI-Alert Inc. sharply disagrees with the results of a recent poll paid for and released by Exelon on the relicensing of Three Mile Island. At issue are the questions that were not asked. The poll also failed to note that a majority of the folks who actually testified before the Nuclear Regulatory Commission were against extending the license of TMI-1.

When the community held a nonbinding referendum on May 18, 1982, more than 67 percent of the voters in Cumberland, Dauphin and Lebanon County opposed the restart of Three Mile Island. TMI and the NRC ignored the results.

How many people would support nuclear power if you asked the following fact-based questions:

Did you know taxpayers and ratepayers have spent $1 billion to remove the damaged fuel from TMI-2 since the reactor meltdown in 1979? The plant still needs to be cleaned up and decommissioned. Did you know Three Mile Island Unit-2 pays no taxes? Should TMI-2 be cleaned up before Exelon builds more nuclear reactors?

Did you know that Exelon has at least 11 full-time registered lobbyists working in Harrisburg as of July, according to the Pennsylvania Department of State? Do you trust nuclear lobbyists to make energy policy for Pennsylvania?

Currently Exelon is recovering $5.5 billion in nuclear taxes on electric bills referred to as "Competitive Transition Costs" for overruns associated with construction of the Limerick nuclear power plant. Should Exelon refund the $5.5 billion to ratepayers before building another nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania?

Three Mile Island has failed to include child-care facilities in its Radiological Emergency Plans for the past 22 years. The NRC, the federal and Pennsylvania emergency management agencies, and Gov. Ed Rendell refuse to adopt dedicated plans, designated transportation routes, or provide vehicles for these children. Should Exelon implement safety plans for kids before building another nuclear power plant?

TMI generates 30 metric tons of high level radioactive waste annually and there are over 1,000 tons of toxic garbage on site. Should Exelon remove nuclear garbage stored next to the Susquehanna River before we build more plants?

Did you know the enrichment of uranium releases massive amounts of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which are more damaging as a global warmer than carbon dioxide? Nuclear fuel production in America creates at least 800,000 pounds of CFCs annually, or 80 percent of all CFCs released into the atmosphere by the United States. CFCs remain the primary agent for stratospheric ozone depletion. Do you still think nuclear power is "clean" and "green?"

There were 804 employees working at TMI prior to the purchase of the plant by Exelon. Now the number is 600, and the company has recently suffered from workers sleeping on the job. Should Exelon hire more workers before building another nuclear power plant?

Did you know TMI does not have to conserve water during periods of drought? Should new nuclear power plants be exempt from water conservation practices?

ERIC EPSTEIN is chairman of Three Mile Island Alert Inc.

[shove_it]

This is an OpEd piece apparently in response to this earlier article in the same paper:

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2008/09/midstate_supports_nuclear_powe.html

I Googled "Three Mile Island Alert Inc." and it seems Eric Epstein is a one-man-gang bent on stirring up opposition to TMI.

At any rate, this is an example of the type of opposition to Nukes that can be expeced any time efforts to start one begin.

[shove_it]

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2008/09/midstate_supports_nuclear_powe.html

[NonValueAdded]

I can easily answer one of them:

Did you know TMI does not have to conserve water during periods of drought?

NO, TMI should be allowed to let the reactor go critical rather than "waste" water during a time of drought.

[Travis T. OJustice]

All the water is returned to the river anyway. It’s just a little warmer.

[oyez]

I agree. This is a hit piece.

Did you know the enrichment of uranium releases massive amounts of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which are more damaging as a global warmer than carbon dioxide? Nuclear fuel production in America creates at least 800,000 pounds of CFCs annually, or 80 percent of all CFCs released into the atmosphere by the United States. CFCs remain the primary agent for stratospheric ozone depletion. Do you still think nuclear power is "clean" and "green?"

That statement makes no sense at all.
For the Hoi Polloi BS beats logic nearly every time.

[xDGx]

Epstein is an incompetent twit.

http://blog.pennlive.com/pennsyltucky/2007/09/eric_epsteins_oneman_show.html

[freespirited]

Do you trust nuclear lobbyists to make energy policy for Pennsylvania?

I trust them more than I trust Robert Kennedy, Algore, or the loons at the Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Fund, and National Resources Defense Council.

I also know demagoguery when I see it. The nuke lobbyists are not "making energy policy" for Pennsylvania. They have seats at the table. So do the screaming meemies.

[thatjoeguy]

Ya know, if they don’t get the child-care facilities issue fixed I’m not going to have anything to do with them dang-it!!

JB