This was forwarded to me by Jane Magers, of EarthCare.
The Price-Anderson Act, in effect, eliminates the need for owners of nuclear
power plants to buy liability insurance. If those corporations had to
purchase insurance, the cost would be so high that they would probably have
to shut down their nuclear reactors. In fact, it's likely that private
insurance companies would not even be willing to insure a nuclear power
plant, since the potential damages from a catastrophic accident would be so
high.
Tom Mathews
Sierra Club, Iowa Chapter
Energy Issue Chair
--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Joseph Malherek" <[log in to unmask]>
To: Undisclosed-recipients:;
Date: Tue, 21 Jan 2003 11:38:31 -0500
Subject: (CMEP-list) Groups Urge Senators to Oppose Nuke Subsidy
Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]>
*** Apologies for cross posting ***
*** P R E S S R E L E A S E ***
January 21, 2003
Groups Urge Senate to Oppose Price-Anderson Nuke Insurance Rider
___________
FRIENDS OF THE EARTH
GREENPEACE
NUCLEAR INFORMATION AND RESOURCE SERVICE
PUBLIC CITIZEN
TAXPAYERS FOR COMMON SENSE
U.S. PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP
For Immediate Release: January 17, 2003
Contacts: Lisa Gue, PC (202) 454-5130; Erich Pica, FOE (202) 789-7400
x220; Aileen Rodler, TCS (202) 546-8500 x130
Senate Appropriations Bill Would Extend Unwarranted Insurance Subsidies
to Proposed New Nuclear Reactors
Groups Urge Opposition to Price-Anderson Rider
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senators should oppose a rider on the appropriations
bill that reauthorizes the Price-Anderson Act, an archaic nuclear power
subsidy, national environmental, public interest and taxpayer groups
said today. Eight groups signed and circulated a letter today, as the
Senate began its second day of debate on the FY2003 omnibus spending
package.
"This anti-consumer, anti-environment, anti-taxpayer rider has no place
in the appropriations package," the groups wrote. "The Price-Anderson
Act represents an unfair subsidy to the nuclear industry and will not
lead to a safe, clean affordable energy future. At a time when the
public is demanding corporate accountability, the Price-Anderson Act
encourages nuclear irresponsibility."
Originally enacted in 1957 as a temporary measure to jump-start the
nascent nuclear power industry, the Price-Anderson Act caps the public
liability of nuclear power plant operators. This arrangement limits
compensation available to the public in the event of an accident or
attack, while conferring a substantial annual subsidy to the nuclear
industry in terms of foregone insurance premiums. Although the
Price-Anderson Act expired on Aug. 1, 2002, existing reactors continue
to be covered by a grandfather clause. Reauthorizing the act would
extend this subsidy to proposed new reactors licensed within the next 15
years, without addressing their security vulnerabilities.
"If these reactor designs are as safe as the industry claims and do not
pose an undue risk to public health and safety, the industry should be
held accountable for their safety by obtaining private insurance," said
Lisa Gue, senior energy analyst with Public Citizen.
Added Jill Lancelot, president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, "There is
no justification for continuing this unfair subsidy to a mature
industry. Reauthorizing the Price-Anderson Act leaves the public
unprotected, nuclear operators unaccountable, and taxpayers potentially
on the hook for billions of dollars in the event of a nuclear
catastrophe."
The letter can be viewed at:
http://www.citizen.org/documents/P-Aappropriationsltr.pdf.
###
___________
For the CMEP-list:
If you would like to be removed from the CMEP-list, please send an
email to [log in to unmask] with the words "unsubscribe CMEP" in the
subject.
Questions about the CMEP-list can be directed to [log in to unmask]
To learn more about this and other Public Citizen Critical Mass Energy
and Environment Program campaigns, visit our website at
www.citizen.org/cmep
-Public Citizen's Critical Mass Energy and Environment Program
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see:
http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp
|
