Beyond Nuclear/PSR speaking tour in MI a big success

Alfred Meyer, PSR board memberAlfred Meyer (photo, left), national board member of Physicians for Responsibility (PSR), spoke throughout Michigan on a tour organized by Beyond Nuclear from Feb. 12-17. His presentations of "Nuclear Power: What You Need to Know about Price, Pollution and Proliferation" were dedicated to the memory of Dr. Jeff Patterson, PSR's Past-President.

Alfred's first stop on Feb. 12, at Grand Rapids' Fountain Street Church, drew 35 attendees, despite the wintry weather. Corinne Carey of Don't Waste MI video-recorded the talk, and will post it to cable access t.v. in the near future.

Alfred had a productive day in Kalamazoo on Feb. 13th. His presentation at Western Michigan University (WMU) was attended by over 50 people, and garnered an extended interview by Gordon Evans on WMUK Radio, as well as an article by Yvonne Zipp in the Kalamazoo Gazette. Alfred also spoke at a press conference held at WMU's impressive solar panel array, launching a campus climate campaign to divest the university from fossil fuel investments. Alfred was also interviewed by Dr. Don Cooney, WMU Social Work professor and Kalamazoo City Commissioner, and Dr. Ron Kramer, WMU criminology prof., on "Critical Issues: Alternative Views" t.v. program. The interview will be aired on Kalamazoo cable access in the near future, as well as posted to YouTube.

The tour stop in South Haven (4 miles from Entergy's Palisades atomic reactor) on Feb. 14 drew 25 attendees, despite it being Valentine's Day. Kraig Schultz of Michigan Safe Energy Future--Shoreline Chapter video-recorded the talk, and will post the recording to the MSEF YouTube channel in the near future.

Ferndale in Metro Detroit on Feb. 15 drew 75 attendees. Damon J. Hartley of the Peoples Tribune did a write up and took lots of photos.

Monroe's event (within the 10-mile Emergency Planning Zone from the GE BWR Mark I, Fermi 2, as well as the proposed Fermi 3) on Feb. 16, drew 30 attendees, and garnered coverage in the Monroe News (text, PDF). The Ann Arbor (home base for PSR's new MI chapter) event on Feb. 17 also drew an audience despite an impending winter storm.

Beyond Nuclear has been honored and privileged to work with the following groups to make this speaking tour a success: Michigan Physicians for Social Responsibility; Sierra Club; Fountain Street Church; WMU Lee Honors College; WMU Environmental Studies program; WMU Institute of Government and Politics; Michigan Safe Energy Future (both Kalamazoo and South Haven chapters); Don't Waste Michigan; Ferndale Public Library; Alliance to Halt Fermi 3; Ellis Library; Don't Waste Michigan; Coalition for a Nuclear-Free Great Lakes; and the Ecology Center.

Nuclear utilities beg for bailouts to avert reactor shutdowns -- Obama administration appears amenable

In a pair of articles, E&E's Hannah Northey reports that nuclear utility giants such as Exelon and Entergy are lobbying hard for changes to electricity marketplace rules that would enable them to keep uncompetitive atomic reactors operating. For its part, the Obama Dept. of Energy appears poised to do all it can to prop up its favorite dirty, dangerous, and expensive energy industry. 

Exelon considers closing two GE BWR Mark Is in IL

As reported by Crain's Chicago Business, Exelon -- the largest nuclear utility in the U.S. -- is considering shuttering its Quad Cities nuclear power plant, because it cannot compete on the wholesale electricity market. Quad Cities consists of two General Electric Mark I Boiling Water Reactors, identical in design to Fukushima Daiichi Units 1 to 4.

At the same time, Exelon is considering permanently closing its single unit Clinton nuclear power plant -- a GE BWR Mark III. A decade ago, Exelon was riding high at Clinton -- recipient of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) rubber-stamp support for an "Early Site Permit" for a proposed new reactor at the site.

The Chicago Tribune has also reported on this story.

International Uranium Film Festival coming to DC and New York

If you live in the Washington, DC or New York metro area, please consider attending the International Uranium FIlm Festival. It comes to DC February 10, 11 and 12 and to Brooklyn, NY February 14-19. The DC festival, at the Goethe-Institut, opens with The Atomic States of America (poster at left) which investigates the history and health impacts of nuclear power in several communities around the U.S. It also includes, Nuclear Savage, a documentary that makes a case that the U.S. government deliberately experimented on the Marshall Islanders through atomic weapons testing. Commissioned by PBS, the network has refused to air Nuclear Savage for more than two years, prompting questions about censorship. Admission to the DC festival is free and each evening will include a panel discussion with filmmakers and policy experts. Beyond Nuclear is a co-sponsor of the DC festival. Linda Gunter, Beyond Nuclear's international specialist, will moderate the nuclear power discussion after the screenings on February 12. Read the Beyond Nuclear press release.

50 Reasons We Should Fear the Worst from Fukushima

Harvey Wasserman edits www.nukefree.org, and wrote Solartopia! Our Green-Powered Earth. Harvey has published the first of a two part series at EcoWatch, entitled "50 Reasons We Should Fear the Worst from Fukushima."

Part Two will be on how Fukushima threatens our human freedom and material survival.

Beyond Nuclear's Kevin Kamps appeared on Harvey's radio show, "Green Power and Wellness," on Feb. 4th. The show is carried by the Progressive Radio Network. The segment was entitled "How much radiation?", and also featured Susan Shapiro of Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition, as well as Gretel Johnson of MATTR.