Sample Op-Ed on H.R. 45

Once again the nuclear power industry has run to the U.S. Congress for a bailout that will further attack our environment. In spite of widespread opposition, the industry is desperately pushing a widely unpopular radioactive waste dump at Yucca Mountain, Nev.

The industry has poured $15.5 million into campaign coffers to persuade our Congress to pass the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1999, a bill that would void Environmental Protection Agency standards for development of the dump, slash environmental protections for Yucca Mountain, and prevent states and local governments from protecting their residents from nuclear hazards. Moreover, this law would drastically decrease industry contributions to the waste disposal effort at a time when the cost of dealing with this problem is skyrocketing. It is time to stop the nuclear bullies and put common sense back into the nuclear waste debate.

Yucca Mountain will not protect people from radiation. However, in an end-run around public opposition, the nuclear industry wants to simply gut the environmental protections put in place to protect local residents. The nuclear industry thinks Congress should ignore all of the problems that scientists have found at Yucca Mountain to make it easier for corporations to dump their waste. Such actions would lead to an unsafe waste dump that would threaten catastrophe for a million years.

In a brazen attempt to stifle public participation, this bill would override the ability of states and localities to protect their citizens against nuclear catastrophe. Current plans would send 100,000 shipments of nuclear waste across our nation’s roads and rails in inadequately- tested casks for the next 30 years, traveling within a half mile of 50 million Americans. Using the Department of Energy’s projections, these shipments could lead to more than 350 accidents. Even an accident outside of a metropolitan area would cause $620 million in damages and contaminate a 42-square mile area. Just imagine what an accident on [nearest highway or rail routexxx] could do. Knowing that communities across the country will not tolerate this waste, the industry simply wants our Congress to nullify local laws. No community could pass stricter safety standards, leaving communities across the country vulnerable to nuclear waste accidents.

It is time to stand up to the nuclear bullies. In the past, (Rep. _______________,) has (voted to bail out the nuclear bullies/stood up to the nuclear power bullies). It is imperative that all (locality) urge (Rep. ___________) to fight for the people of [Locality] and (stand up for/keep standing up for) the health and pocketbooks of his/her constituents. We cannot allow the nuclear industry to short circuit all environmental and public health protections. Though the nuclear bullies portray the situation as a crisis, this is merely an attempt by pampered nuclear utilities to get a quick fix that will enhance their public image. It is time to end the cycle of fear engendered by the nuclear utilities and bring science and reason back into the debate.

Sincerely,

Local Organizations

You can find more information on this subject on our Talking Points for H.R. 45: The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1999.

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