3 PETITIONS, DIFFERENT TARGETS

Background
DOE's nuclear loan guarantee program was set up by Congress in 2005 and funded in 2007 at $18.5 billion for new reactors and $2 billion for new uranium enrichment plants (additional funds are available for renewable and coal technologies).

DOE has narrowed the first round of applicants for this money to four utilities seeking to build a total of seven reactors: UniStar Nuclear (Calvert Cliffs), Southern Company (Vogtle), NRG Energy (South Texas) and SCANA (Summer).

But apparently DOE is having trouble actually giving out these guarantees because of the corporate structures of some of the projects and because foreign export-import banks (and perhaps some other potential investors) that would provide additional funds for them are concerned about the level of risk involved.

Both the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and Government Accountability Office already have warned that the loan guarantee program carries substantial risk to the taxpayer. For example, the CBO says the risk of default by nuclear utilities is about 50%.

Yet, rather than trying to reduce this already significant risk, DOE is proposing to expose taxpayers to even greater risk. A key part of their proposed rule, for example, removes DOE's right to a "first lien" on these projects--in other words, an assurance that taxpayers would be the first to be repaid. Instead, DOE would have to stand in line with other lenders to be repaid--particularly significant in the event of default, when full repayment would not be expected.

The proposal also makes other changes to the program, with no justification other than to do the nuclear industry's bidding.

From: "Nuclear Information and Resource Service" nirsnet@nirs.org
Date: 16 сентября 2009 г. 13:45

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1. UCS PETITION

Stop the Senate from Giving Nuclear Power a Blank Check

Unless we speak out, the Senate is planning to funnel billions of dollars to the nuclear power industry through a so-called “clean energy bank.” This plan would in effect write a blank check—using taxpayers’ money—to provide unlimited loans for nuclear reactors at the expense of investments in clean, affordable renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. Setting aside the safety and security risks associated with nuclear power, taxpayers should not be on the hook for hundreds of billions in loans to an industry with such a poor financial track record. Tell your senators taxpayer dollars should be spent on truly clean, affordable energy projects.

Please make your letter personal by adding in your own thoughts and concerns. Every letter makes a difference, but customized letters have the greatest effect!

Click here for more information on this issue.

https://secure3.convio.net/ucs/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=2184&autologin=true&JServSessionIdr002=xr3nd2txp3.app303a

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2. NIRS PETITION:

Tell Dept of Energy: Drop outrageous loan guarantee rule proposal

For those of you who want to wade into the details of this rather technical and complicated proposal, the DOE's proposed rule is here: http://www.nirs.org/neconomics/doeloanguaranteeforcomment9809.pdf

For those of you who just want to let your voice be heard, you can send a comment letter to DOE-and the White House-here.
http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5502/t/5846/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=2062

Use our sample, or write your own.

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3. DEMOCRACY IN ACTION  PETITION

No Nukes in Climate Bill

http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5502/t/5846/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1864

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Nuclear energy cannot even pay for itself so there is no way it can pay back any LOANS ....
AND Nuclear energy has a HUMONGOUS Carbon footprint not to mention the radiation pollution that will already be with us for a half a million years.
That is already too big a debt to life to warrant saddling life with more paybacks, because the payback will be death.
You and/or your loved ones could be next in line for cancer.
We have a FREE nuclear reactor in the sky .... Let's use it and meanwhile work on rrejuvenating our atmosphere so we are not poisoned by our own sun.

~ ALS   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SPECIAL THANKS to Margaret Free for pic find.
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