Update: (Esquire) Charles P. Pierce reports ~ The Fukushima Crisis Comes To The States
The catastrophe at the Fukushima nuclear power plant -- aka Yesterday's Tragedy -- appears to be ongoing, and Alaska now has become part of the story.
Some radiation has arrived in northern Alaska and along the west coast. That's raised concern over contamination of fish and wildlife. More may be heading toward coastal communities like Haines and Skagway. Douglas Dasher, a researcher at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, says radiation levels in Alaskan waters could reach Cold War levels. "The levels they are projecting in some of the models are in the ballpark of what they saw in the North Pacific in the 1960s," he said.
Radiation from Japan nuclear plant arrives on Alaska coast - Scientists concerned about lack of monitoring plan
Nuclear Information and Resource Service writes ~
Finally, a bill we can SUPPORT!
Sen. Markey's first Senate bill:
The American Renewable Energy and Efficiency Act
Act now to build support for this far-reaching, far-sighted plan to bring our nation's energy policy into the 21st century!
It isn't often we get the opportunity to actually support a bill in the U.S. Congress. We're usually fighting off taxpayer funding for new nukes, or some demonic radioactive waste scheme hatched in some nuclear lobbyists' smoke-filled room and brought to an embracing Congressional committee.
So I'm very excited to tell you about Sen. Ed Markey's first Senate bill: The American Renewable Energy and Efficiency Act (S. 1627).
This bill would set a national Renewable Energy Standard and a national Energy Efficiency standard--both long overdue and both without nuclear power. Under the bill, utilities would have to provide 25% of their power from renewable sources by 2025. In addition, electric utilities would have to save the equivalent of 15% of their sales from efficiency measures by that date, while natural gas utilities would have to save 10% of their sales. Plus, the bill includes extra measures to support distributed generation technologies like rooftop solar and small wind.
and ask your Senators to co-sponsor this important legislation.
We've set up the same action on MoveOn.Org here. Use whichever Action page you like better, but make sure you use at least one of them!
According to an analysis of the bill prepared for Sen. Markey's office, S. 1627 would:
*Create more than 400,000 jobs
*Lead to energy efficiency improvements that will save the average American household $39 annually. Cumulative consumer savings through 2030 would be nearly $90 billion
*Spur more than $200 billion in new capital investments in renewable energy technology, leading to nearly a quadrupling of renewable electricity production by 2025
*Reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 480 million metric tons annually by 2025, the equivalent output of 120 coal-fired power plants.
We hope you'll agree this is a rare bill worthy of your and NIRS' support, as we have joined other DC-based groups, like Sierra Club, UCS, NRDC, Environment America and more in endorsing this legislation.
But since this is Washington, there are of course caveats.
For one, it's not a perfect bill. A perfect bill would bring about a nuclear-free carbon-free energy system before mid-century. But no one has ever introduced such a bill, and S. 1627 is the best first step toward that goal that we've seen.
For another, as we said, this is Washington, DC 2013. This bill is not going to pass this session, not through this dysfunctional, cynical, mean-spirited Congress.
But things will change; they're already changing. The cost and deployment advantages of clean energy are becoming too great to ignore--even in the Halls of Congress. After all, depending on which poll you look at, anywhere from 70% to about 85% of the American people want more renewable energy. Right now is when we must lay the groundwork for massive and growing popular support for this bill. That's why we're asking you to take a moment to support S. 1627 and ask your Senators--no matter how neanderthal you think they may be--to co-sponsor the bill.
You've probably noticed that there has been basically no media about this bill--in fact, this is likely the first time you've heard about it. So we're also asking you to share the Action Page (where you send an e-mail to your senators) with as many people as possible, so we can spread the word as far as possible that yes, there is some energy legislation in Washington DC that deserves public support.
Want more info?
Here is a press release on the bill from Sen. Markey.
Here is a summary of the bill.
Here is the full text of the bill (before it received the number S. 1627).
Please take action now, please help spread the word. Send your letter from NIRS website here, or from MoveOn.Org here and please share whichever page you choose.
Update: (Esquire) Charles P. Pierce reports ~ The Fukushima Crisis Comes To The States
The catastrophe at the Fukushima nuclear power plant -- aka Yesterday's Tragedy -- appears to be ongoing, and Alaska now has become part of the story.Some radiation has arrived in northern Alaska and along the west coast. That's raised concern over contamination of fish and wildlife. More may be heading toward coastal communities like Haines and Skagway. Douglas Dasher, a researcher at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, says radiation levels in Alaskan waters could reach Cold War levels. "The levels they are projecting in some of the models are in the ballpark of what they saw in the North Pacific in the 1960s," he said.
Radiation from Japan nuclear plant arrives on Alaska coast - Scientists concerned about lack of monitoring plan
Nuclear Information and Resource Service writes ~
Finally, a bill we can SUPPORT!
Sen. Markey's first Senate bill:
The American Renewable Energy and Efficiency Act
Act now to build support for this far-reaching, far-sighted plan to bring our nation's energy policy into the 21st century!
Sen. Markey's first Senate bill:
The American Renewable Energy and Efficiency Act
Act now to build support for this far-reaching, far-sighted plan to bring our nation's energy policy into the 21st century!
It isn't often we get the opportunity to actually support a bill in the U.S. Congress. We're usually fighting off taxpayer funding for new nukes, or some demonic radioactive waste scheme hatched in some nuclear lobbyists' smoke-filled room and brought to an embracing Congressional committee.
So I'm very excited to tell you about Sen. Ed Markey's first Senate bill: The American Renewable Energy and Efficiency Act (S. 1627).
This bill would set a national Renewable Energy Standard and a national Energy Efficiency standard--both long overdue and both without nuclear power. Under the bill, utilities would have to provide 25% of their power from renewable sources by 2025. In addition, electric utilities would have to save the equivalent of 15% of their sales from efficiency measures by that date, while natural gas utilities would have to save 10% of their sales. Plus, the bill includes extra measures to support distributed generation technologies like rooftop solar and small wind.
and ask your Senators to co-sponsor this important legislation.
We've set up the same action on MoveOn.Org here. Use whichever Action page you like better, but make sure you use at least one of them!
According to an analysis of the bill prepared for Sen. Markey's office, S. 1627 would:
*Create more than 400,000 jobs
*Lead to energy efficiency improvements that will save the average American household $39 annually. Cumulative consumer savings through 2030 would be nearly $90 billion
*Spur more than $200 billion in new capital investments in renewable energy technology, leading to nearly a quadrupling of renewable electricity production by 2025
*Reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 480 million metric tons annually by 2025, the equivalent output of 120 coal-fired power plants.
We hope you'll agree this is a rare bill worthy of your and NIRS' support, as we have joined other DC-based groups, like Sierra Club, UCS, NRDC, Environment America and more in endorsing this legislation.
But since this is Washington, there are of course caveats.
For one, it's not a perfect bill. A perfect bill would bring about a nuclear-free carbon-free energy system before mid-century. But no one has ever introduced such a bill, and S. 1627 is the best first step toward that goal that we've seen.
For another, as we said, this is Washington, DC 2013. This bill is not going to pass this session, not through this dysfunctional, cynical, mean-spirited Congress.
But things will change; they're already changing. The cost and deployment advantages of clean energy are becoming too great to ignore--even in the Halls of Congress. After all, depending on which poll you look at, anywhere from 70% to about 85% of the American people want more renewable energy. Right now is when we must lay the groundwork for massive and growing popular support for this bill. That's why we're asking you to take a moment to support S. 1627 and ask your Senators--no matter how neanderthal you think they may be--to co-sponsor the bill.
You've probably noticed that there has been basically no media about this bill--in fact, this is likely the first time you've heard about it. So we're also asking you to share the Action Page (where you send an e-mail to your senators) with as many people as possible, so we can spread the word as far as possible that yes, there is some energy legislation in Washington DC that deserves public support.
Want more info?
Here is a press release on the bill from Sen. Markey.
Here is a summary of the bill.
Here is the full text of the bill (before it received the number S. 1627).
Please take action now, please help spread the word. Send your letter from NIRS website here, or from MoveOn.Org here and please share whichever page you choose.
0 comments:
Post a Comment