Bank Would Enable Unlimited Taxpayer Funding Of New Nuclear Reactor Construction

THIS IS FROM THE MOTHERS FOR PEACE ACTION COMMITTEE: PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SENATORS AGAIN. THE VOTE IS TOMORROW (5/26/11).

6930 Carroll Avenue, #340, Takoma Park, MD 20912; 301-270-6477; nirsnet [at] nirs.org; http://www.nirs.org

SENATE ENERGY COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER "CLEAN ENERGY" BANK BILL TOMORROW--MAY 26, 2011

BANK WOULD ENABLE UNLIMITED TAXPAYER FUNDING OF NEW NUCLEAR REACTOR CONSTRUCTION

ACT NOW TO BLOCK "CEDA"!


May 25, 2011

Dear friends,

The Senate Energy Committee is scheduled to consider tomorrow--May 26, 2011--a bill establishing a new "clean energy" bank called the Clean Energy Development Administration (CEDA).

Unfortunately, this "clean energy" bank is anything but a source for funding genuinely clean energy. In fact, both new nuclear reactors and certain coal projects would be eligible for unlimited taxpayer backed loans if this bank were to be realized.

Take action now: tell your Senators to reject CEDA unless nuclear power and coal are removed.

A press release from our friends at Union of Concerned Scientists with more background on CEDA is here: http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/clean-energy-bank-proposal-0544.html

Please act quickly and tell your Senators--especially if they are on the Energy Committee (members listed below)--to reject CEDA as currently written. There is nothing "clean" about nuclear power, as a glance at any photo of Fukushima should make clear. Unless nuclear power and dirty coal are taken out of the CEDA program, it should be defeated.

If one of your Senators is on the Energy Committee (members listed below), please also call him/her today and urge him/her to reject CEDA unless nuclear and coal are removed from the program. Senate switchboard: 202-224-3121.

In other news, today NIRS hand-delivered to members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees a letter signed by more than 180 organizations and small businesses urging an end to the existing nuclear loan program. Thanks to everyone who signed this letter! The letter and accompanying press release are available on the front page of NIRS website, http://www.nirs.org.

Senate Energy Committee

Democrats:
Chairman Jeff Bingaman (NM)
Ron Wyden (OR)
Tim Johnson (SD)
Mary L. Landrieu (LA)
Maria Cantwell (WA)
Bernard Sanders (I) (VT)
Debbie Stabenow (MI)
Mark Udall (CO)
Jeanne Shaheen (NH)
Al Franken (MN)
Joe Manchin (WV)
Christopher A. Coons (DE)

Republicans:
Lisa Murkowski (AK)
John Barrasso (WY)
James E. Risch (ID)
Mike Lee (UT)
Rand Paul (KY)
Daniel Coats (IN)
Rob Portman (OH)
John Hoeven (ND)
Dean Heller (NV)
Bob Corker (TN)