Take Action: Nuclear Energy and Waste
Background Information:
If Assembly Bill 555 is passed, it will mean that utilities can build new nuclear reactors in Wisconsin without having a plan for where to put the deadly, radioactive waste that is produced by nuclear power. It will also mean that utilities do not have to demonstrate that the cost of new nuclear plants is economically advantageous for Wisconsin ratepayers. Building new nuclear reactors in Wisconsin would be disastrous for citizens, both financially and environmentally. In addition, more nuclear waste in Wisconsin increases the likelihood that the Federal Department of Energy will favor locating a nuclear waste dump in northeastern Wisconsin, as was proposed in the 1980s.
Nuclear power is not safe. Transporting nuclear waste on our highways and railroads puts human health and the environment at risk. One accident at a nuclear power plant or on the highway could devastate a community and destroy Wisconsin’s economy. Nuclear power plants and nuclear waste storage can also provide a target for terrorists. Wisconsin’s nuclear power plants and waste storage are located on the shore of Lake Michigan; more than 35 million people rely on Lake Michigan for drinking water.
Nuclear power is not clean. Nuclear power plants generate nuclear waste, one of the most toxic substances on earth. Nuclear waste must be stored for thousands of years—longer than any government or civilization has lasted.
Nuclear power is not cheap. The federal government subsidizes the nuclear industry to the tune of billions of dollars each year. One major accident at one of Wisconsin’s two nuclear plants would cost between $40 and $50 billion dollars in property damage. According to WE Energies, the utility that owns the Point Beach nuclear plant in Wisconsin, it would cost more than $2 billion to build a new nuclear plant. The Wisconsin Public Service Commission, the state agency that approves the construction of new power plants, found in 2003 that building a nuclear plant at WE Energy’s projected cost would not be economical.
There are better choices. Energy efficiency and energy conservation, along with wind power, solar power and fuel cells, are available to meet our energy needs. Instead of promoting risky nuclear power, our elected officials and research institutions should focus their energy on promoting these clean, safe energy solutions.
Contact your State Assembly Representatives and your State Senator. For their contact information, please go to www.legis.state.wi.us/waml or call 1-800-362-9472.
For more information please contact info@cleanwisconsin.org or call (608) 250 9240.
You can help!
There are many ways you can take help keep Wisconsin safe from nuclear power plants and waste. Here are some suggestions.
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