In Memoriam: Bill Hirt, stalwart supporter of the anti-nuke movement in the Great Lakes

Bill Hirt (in radiation suit, holding "Chernobyl 1986" placard) with assistance from Alice Hirt, protesting the industry's first "Nuclear Renaissance" event at the Palmer House, Chicago, late 2001. Photo by Kathy Barnes.We are very sad to report that our dear friend and colleague, Bill Hirt, has passed on. He died surrounded by his loving family on Monday, March 30, 2015, more than eight years after being diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), more commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Bill was very multi-faceted (the Toledo Blade's remembrance focused on his historic preservation and low-income housing efforts), but one of those facets was his generous support for, and deep involvement in, the anti-nuclear movement in the Great Lakes region. Along with his wife Alice (see the obituary she and their son Nick wrote, here), who serves on the board of directors of Don't Waste Michigan and the Toledo Coalition for Safe Energy, the Hirts vigilantly watch-dogged nuclear risks from Lake Michigan to Lake Erie, from Palisades to Davis-Besse, traveling to meetings and events across the Great Lakes for years and even decades on end, in opposition to atomic reactor and radioactive waste risks.

But a few of countless examples will give some idea of Bill's deep involvement. Moved to action by the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe of 1986, the Hirts helped lead the challenges to the storage of high-level radioactive waste in defective dry casks on the Great Lakes shorelines at Palisades and Davis-Besse. From 1999 to 2000, as part of the international Nix MOX campaign, Bill and Alice generously supported a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Energy, seeking to block the risky truck transport of weapons-grade plutonium bound from Los Alamos, NM to Chalk River, ON, Canada (the case is entitled Hirt v. [Energy Secretary] Richardson). In 1999, 2000, and 2001, the Hirts took part in the Nuclear-Free Great Lakes Action Camps in Michigan and Illinois. In late 2001, Bill donned a radiation suit and, along with Alice (see photo of Bill and Alice, taken by Kathy Barnes, above left) and colleagues from Illinois and Michigan, protested the first "Nuclear Renaissance" event held by the industry, at the Palmer House in Chicago (his hometown). In 2002, with his neighbors on a towering sand dune in Holland, MI, looking out over Lake Michigan to the west, Bill educated them about the high-level radioactive waste barge shipments proposed from Palisades to the Port of Muskegon, that would travel right past where they were standing, unless they were stopped (and thus far, they have been!). From 2005-2007, Bill and Alice generously donated towards the largely all-volunteer and pro bono environmental intervention against the 20-year license extension at Palisades; in the midst of that difficult campaign, the Hirts warmly opened their lovely home in Holland, MI, with its magnificient vista of the freshwater inland sea called Lake Michigan, for a much-needed morale boost: a holiday party, to celebrate with friends and colleagues involved in the fight.

Bill's generous support and deep involvement will be sorely missed, as will his vivacious spirit and love of life.

From Midwest to Mid-Atlantic, ratepayer resistance to nuclear bailouts intensifies!

"Burning money" graphic art by Gene Case and Avening Angels appeared on the cover of Nation Magazine, accompanying an article by Christian Parenti about the nuclear power relapseNuclear utilities, like Exelon of Chicago and FirstEnergy of Ohio, are seeking multi-billion (yes, billion with a B!) dollar bailouts for their dirty, dangerous, and uncompetitive atomic reactors. Exelon is also trying to take over the Mid-Atlantic utility Pepco, in a thinly veiled attempt to gouge ratepayers to prop up its failing nukes, while gutting clean energy competition: efficiency, renewables, and distributed energy. But a growing coalition of residential and business ratepayers, nuclear watchdogs, and even state agencies, are pushing back, with creative street theater, community educational forums, and legal interventions before Public Service Commissions. More.

Op-eds urge PUCO to reject FirstEnergy's requested $3 billion bailout for Davis-Besse & coal plant

Two op-eds published in the Cleveland Plain Dealer advocate that FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC) should not be allowed to saddle Ohio ratepayers with a $3 billion surcharge over the next 15 years. FENOC seeks the subsidy to keep two dirty, dangerous, and uncompetitive power plants on life support (the Davis-Besse atomic reactor near Toledo, and the Sammis coal plant on the Ohio River).

The first op-ed was written by Connie Kline, a long-time nuclear power watchdog in northeast Ohio. She focused on safety risks at FENOC's problem-plagued Davis-Besse reactor.

A second op-ed opposing the bailout was co-written by three Cuyahoga County elected officials (a state senator, a Cuyahoga County council member, and a Cleveland city council member). It described burdening hard-working Ohio ratepayers with this subsidy for FirstEnergy as "unconscionable and unacceptable," and urged the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) to reject the plan.

Readers are encouraged to join in the debate by submitting comments in the section under the op-eds.

"36 Years of Three Mile Island’s Lethal Lies…and Still Counting"

Photo by Robert Del Tredichi, from his 1980 book "The People of Three Mile Island."Harvey Wasserman has written in commeration of the meltdown at Three Mile Island (TMI) Unit 2 on March 28, 1979. He writes:

"The lies that killed people at Three Mile Island 36 years ago tomorrow are still being told at Chernobyl, Fukushima, Diablo Canyon, Davis-Besse … and at TMI itself.

As the first major reactor accident that was made known to the public is sadly commemorated, and as the global nuclear industry collapses, let’s count just 36 tip-of-the iceberg ways the nuclear industry’s radioactive legacy continues to fester:

For the full article, go to: http://ecowatch.com/2015/03/27/three-mile-island-36-anniversary/."

Wasserman reported directly on TMI’s death toll from central Pennsylvania. He co-wrote KILLING OUR OWN:  THE DISASTER OF AMERICA’S EXPERIENCE WITH ATOMIC RADIATION. Wasserman has invited Beyond Nuclear to Columbus, Ohio on April 11 and 12 to speak out at events in opposition to the crumbling Davis-Besse atomic reactor's proposed multi-billion dollar ratepayer bailout.

Fairewinds Energy Education has also posted reflections, including a presentation by its Chief Engineer, Arnie Gundersen, a year ago in Harrisburg, PA for TMI+35, and his expert witness reports from the TMI Litigation.

Nukewatch's Arianne Peterson has published an article in their Spring 2015 quarterly newsletter entitled "Spring Melt: Three Mile Island, Chernobyl & Fukushima Taint the Season."

(See continuation of Nukewatch article here).

A year ago, Beyond Nuclear also published a newsletter and website section devoted to telling the truth about TMI.

And a quarter century ago, Beyond Nuclear board member, and investigative journalist, Karl Grossman narrated EnviroVideo's first documentary, "Three Mile Island Revisited."

"Maryland PSC delays decision on Pepco-Exelon merger"

Logo courtesy of Public Citizen Energy ProgramAs reported by UtilityDIVE and Argus Media, the Maryland Public Service Commission (MD PSC) has given itself till May 8th to decide whether or not to approve the proposed $6.8 billion merger between Exelon Nuclear and the Mid-Atlantic electric utility Pepco. There have been multiple postponements by the MD PSC over the decision, amidst opposition and concerns, including from the State of Maryland Energy Administration.

The MD PSC was originally scheduled to reach a decision in February. Exelon hopes to complete the merger by September.