Per Josh Stilts / Brattleboro Reformer:
Sens. James Inhofe, R-Okla., and David Vitter, R-La., say applications for the Pilgrim nuclear station in Plymouth, Mass., and the Vermont Yankee plant in Vernon, whose owner, Entergy Corp., applied for 20-year license extensions for the two on the same day, Jan. 27, 2006, are taking too long.
…and…
Vitter, who represents Louisiana, Entergy’s home state, has received $20,000 in campaign contributions from the company since the 2002 election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a nonpartisan Washington-based group that tracks money in politics.
A reporter actually looking at the money trend between a politician’s stated views and his supporters? I didn’t know they were still allowed to do that sort of thing.
Now, Vitter and Inhofe are claiming that the reason the NRC is taking so long in the case of Yankee and Pilgrim are because of the people protesting against them.
You know what? That would be awesome if it were true. It would be a testament to the ability of people to influence politics and policy and the things that effect their community.
That said, Vermont Yankee’s wounds are primarily self-inflicted. It’s not like anyone made them lose fuel rods. It’s like anyone made them fail to maintain their cooling towers. It’s not like anyone forced them to leak tritium into ground water.
This is a company that has made false statements to public officials. It’s a company which has not properly maintained safety. It’s a company that clearly does not care about Vermont or Vermonters in any form.
Activists may have managed to call attention to VY’s hardships– there are stories that wouldn’t be out there without the close scrutiny. But without VY engaging in such consistently egregious and dangerous behavior? The relicensing would have come through by now.
I’d love to give activists credit for this– it would be a rare opportunity for me to agree with David Vitter about something. But no, not so much. Activists are of value, but they don’t make the decisions. We call attention. We bring to light. But we don’t have that kind of power, as much as I sometimes wish we did.
This is about Yankee/Pilgrim bit its also part and parcel of the Republican’s effort to curb what they call out of control regulators .Believe it or not they include the NRC in this group.
Platts ,an energy trade publication covered the Inhofe, Vitter letter to the NRC which never specifically mentioned Yankee or Pilgrim but clearly was the focus.
Rep. Upton got the ball rolling in the house a couple weeks back and Senators Vitter and Inofe picked it up.
http://www.platts.com/RSSFeedD…
Activists (concerned citizens) affecting local issues = bad.
Politicians that get $$ affecting nonlocal issues = ???
The only reason that ENVY’s application has taken five years, and the NRC has still not approved an additional 20 years for Entergy’s Yankee and Pilgrim reactors, is because of the strong resistance of activists.
Before this, the NRC said that the re-licensing process would take two years if there was not local resistance, and 2 1/2 years with resistance.
Reactors of the same age and design, leaks and all, have been approved by the NRC with little fuss.
The legal intervention sponsored by NEC – necnp.org – bolstered by the work of local groups and individuals, and the statewide organizing of Safe Power Vermont – safepowervt.org/- that’s what’s made all the difference.
We have organized, supported the experts, educated the public and the press, worked with legislators and got the bill passed that gives our legislature final say.
We shifted the narrative, so that every leak, accident, lie and mishap is national news. That wasn’t the case five years ago. The press in the state, the politicos, “the powers that be”, all said there was no way ENVY could lose. Entergy still can get their press releases published as if they were news. But nobody believes them anymore.
And they may yet win approval from the NRC. Most people think that’s inevitable.
But ENVY’s been rejected by the people of Vermont, and our legislature, and we will continue working and organizing to be sure the reactor closes as scheduled, in March 2012, if not before.
Personally, I think there’s an even chance ENVY will shut down this coming Fall, rather than spending millions on refueling.
That’s if the legislature honors their commitment to Vermonters this session, and I think they will.
I’m pretty sure they’re not at all allowed to do that sort of thing, which means Josh Stilts will be looking for new employment soon.
…to store all the nuclear waste in his diapers.
this my be strategic on the part of NRC. As long as NRC has not ruled, plants can keep running. Both of the plants are mired in controversy.
At least one stock analyst has said the problems with local/state opposition has played a role in Entergy’sstock value as it is a risk factor.
Congressmen are fools. NRC has never turned down an application to my knowledge. Look at Davis-Besse. Sheesh. My understanding is whether they are re-licensed or not, they can run until un-licensed.
ENVY may soon make a ‘good’ offer to the utilities which could change the dynamic in the statehouse. They wouldn’t be spending the money they are on lobbying and PR right now if they didn’t have a chance at another vote.
Be ready to push back hard.
not holding my breath. Any supposed ‘positive developments’ are always found to be entirely illusory.
Ten days ago, there was a story & press release, ‘business groups’ in VT, three, supporting Entergy. All of them are members in each others groups, therefore one & the same voice & mouthpiece-Entergy Louisiana including their employees plus their unions.
One week later, same message, AP ‘story’ if it can be called that, a duplicate abbreviated version of the previous one, which tells me that their first press release/message was ignored, nor did it achieve any results. In fact, a few days later a conservative group of all ppl put out a message which exposed their antics & called for the closing of the plant. How telling as to what most VTers from all political stripes really think.
As to a PPA, CVPS & GMP said this:
(Costello) “Unless or until we actually have an agreement, a signed agreement, I would never say we’re close[..]So I think it’s still an open question whether we come to an agreement.
I like that- a ‘signed’ agreement. Not very optomistic.
Mary Powell was even less optomistic:
(Powell) “I think that the chances of it have probably deteriorated on a regular basis. The plant has a very tough road ahead.”
http://www.vpr.net/news_detail…