Oppose taxpayer subsidies for new nuclear facilities
Thanks to those of you who have contacted your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators to oppose further taxpayer subsidies for new reactors and other nuclear facilities such as uranium enrichment plants. Please continue to do so regularly by calling the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to be patched through to your Members of Congress. Or, better yet, contact your Representative's and Senators' in-state district offices to request a meeting with the Member or their staff during their visit home during the Memorial Day Recess, to make your point face to face.
Some good news: the House Energy and Commerce Committee this week voted to limit nuclear industry subsidies to at most 30% of the new "Clean Energy Bank" fund, as well as to require continued Congressional oversight and authorization for future nuclear power loan guarantees, rather than allow the U.S. Department of Energy the ability to write blank checks for unlimited loans and loan guarantees to its favorite industry -nuclear power. The Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee's version of the "Clean Energy Bank" has no such safeguards. While it is outrageous that Congress is even considering nuclear power "clean" and allowing up to 30% of energy bank subsidies to go to the nuclear industry, it's vital that we urge House and Senate Members to cap how much of the fund the nuclear industry can access, as well as to require continued congressional oversight.
To learn more about the similarities and differences between the U.S. House and Senate versions of the so-called "Clean Energy Bank" proposals, see the following analysis by Michele Boyd of Physicians for Social Responsibility.
Some good news: the House Energy and Commerce Committee this week voted to limit nuclear industry subsidies to at most 30% of the new "Clean Energy Bank" fund, as well as to require continued Congressional oversight and authorization for future nuclear power loan guarantees, rather than allow the U.S. Department of Energy the ability to write blank checks for unlimited loans and loan guarantees to its favorite industry -nuclear power. The Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee's version of the "Clean Energy Bank" has no such safeguards. While it is outrageous that Congress is even considering nuclear power "clean" and allowing up to 30% of energy bank subsidies to go to the nuclear industry, it's vital that we urge House and Senate Members to cap how much of the fund the nuclear industry can access, as well as to require continued congressional oversight.
To learn more about the similarities and differences between the U.S. House and Senate versions of the so-called "Clean Energy Bank" proposals, see the following analysis by Michele Boyd of Physicians for Social Responsibility.