URGENT alert*! We need your help on this issue. Currently, both Congressman Allen and Congressman Michaud are undecided about the future of nuclear power and need encouragement from folks like you to oppose these subsides.
Please read the information below then contact both Congressmen and tell them: No taxpayer subsidies for nuclear power.
Congressman Allen In DC—202-225-6116
In Maine-207-774-5019
Congressman Michaud In DC—202-225-6306
In Maine—207-942-6935
NUCLEAR INFORMATION AND RESOURCE SERVICE
6930 Carroll Avenue, Suite 340, Takoma Park , MD 20912
301-270-NIRS (301-270-6477); Fax: 301-270-4291
nirsnet [at] nirs [dot] org
www.nirs.org
Dear Friends, There are two major developments we want to tell you about regarding loan guarantees for new nuclear reactors and the pending energy bill in Congress:
First, we’re happy to tell you that Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, Keb Mo , Ben Harper and other artists have joined the effort to stop the loan guarantees in a major way. They’ve set up a new website, www.nukefree.org, and there you can sign a petition against the use of your tax dollars for new nuclear reactors.
Please do so right now. They’ve also remade the classic Buffalo Springfield song, For What It’s Worth, and you can watch that on their website, on www.youtube.com, or from NIRS website, www.nirs.org.
Second, we have learned that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has given up on the idea of setting up a House-Senate conference committee to formally address the differences in the House and Senate energy bills. Instead, a more informal process will be used. Both Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid apparently want a final energy bill completed by November 1. That will be difficult to do in the little remaining time, and it means that some of the more controversial provisions in the two bills may be dropped entirely. We need to make the loan guarantees as controversial as possible. So after you’ve signed the petition at www.nukefree.org, please call your Senators and Representative (Capitol Switchboard, 202-224-3121), and tell them: no taxpayer subsidies for nuclear power. Please call even if you’ve called before. Ask your friends and colleagues to call. This is the time to take action!
You should add that Congress should not cut itself out of the loan guarantee process—the Senate version of the bill would give full power to the Department of Energy to issue the guarantees, decide who gets them, and how much they should get. This is a job Congress has to stay on top of. The Nuclear Energy Institute already has said it wants the nuclear industry to receive $50 billion in taxpayer guarantees over just the next two years. When that kind of money is at risk, Congress has to accept responsibility, not merely turn it over to the Energy Department.
Thanks for your help!
Michael Mariotte
Executive Director
Nuclear Information and Resource Service
nirsnet [at] nirs [dot] org
Melissa A. Boyd
Executive Director
Physicians for Social Responsibility/Maine
P.O. Box 1771
Portland, ME 04104
Ph. 207-772-6714 FX. 207-828-8620
www.psrmaine.org
