P.O. Box 1222, Madison, WI 53701 | www.prodane.org | office@prodane.org | (608) 257-4985

March 30, 2010

Progressive Dane Opposes Weakening Nuclear Safeguards, Supports Renewables

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Contact:
TJ Mertz, Progressive Dane, 608-215-1942
Diane Farsetta, Carbon Free, Nuclear Free Wis., 608-250-9240

Progressive Dane Opposes Weakening Nuclear Safeguards, Supports Renewables

Growing support for Carbon Free, Nuclear free, as state climate bill nears votes

MADISON – At its monthly membership meeting last week, Progressive Dane unanimously endorsed a carbon free and nuclear free energy policy for Wisconsin, becoming the third state party to do so, as a climate bill nears consideration in the state legislature.

In the resolution, Progressive Dane stated its “opposition to any weakening of current state law regulating new nuclear reactors” and support for making “Wisconsin’s energy 100 per cent renewable by 2050.” The state Clean Energy Jobs Act (AB 649 / SB 450) would remove the current requirement that there be a federal repository for the high-level radioactive waste before new nuclear reactors can be built in the state.

In their discussion of the resolution, Progressive Dane members expressed concern about the impact new nuclear reactors would have on the local economy. They also pointed to safety issues raised by Wisconsin’s aging nuclear reactors at Point Beach and Kewaunee.

The full resolution is copied below. Similar resolutions were previously passed by the Dane County and Milwaukee County Democratic Party. Carbon Free, Nuclear Free coalition members include the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice, Physicians for Social Responsibility Wisconsin, Peace Action Wisconsin, Nukewatch, Coulee Region Progressives and the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research.


WHEREAS since 1984 Wisconsin has had a sensible law requiring that before more nuclear power reactors can be approved there must be a federal waste disposal site in operation and a finding that nuclear power is economically beneficial to Wisconsin residents; and
WHEREAS after more than 50 years the nuclear industry has not solved the problem of how to safely dispose of high level radioactive waste, which must be kept out of the environment for hundreds of thousands of years; and
WHEREAS attempts are now underway to weaken state law and remove the requirement for a waste disposal site before more reactors can be built, with legislation expected to be introduced in the fall, as a way to combat climate change; and
WHEREAS a recent book, “Carbon Free and Nuclear Free: A Roadmap for U.S. Energy Policy,” provides a detailed analysis showing that the goal to phase out the use of both fossil fuels and nuclear power by the year 2050 is technically and economically feasible; and
WHEREAS renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies are faster, cheaper, safer and cleaner strategies for reducing greenhouse emissions than nuclear power,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Progressive Dane go on record in opposition to any weakening of current state law regulating new nuclear reactors, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that Progressive Dane urge the governor and state legislators to pursue and adopt a carbon free nuclear free energy policy to make Wisconsin’s energy 100 per cent renewable by 2050.

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