Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) is developing a Clean Energy Standard (CES) as a part of the state’s Clean Energy and Climate Plan. The overall goal of the plan is to reduce CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050 (compared to 1990 levels). The state of Massachusetts should be commended for leading the nation in energy efficiency efforts and promoting renewable energy sources.
Here’s the scary part. One of the questions MassDEP is trying to answer is whether or not to label nuclear power production as “clean” since the nuclear fission process in a reactor does not produce carbon emissions. However, MassDEP needs to take into consideration the broader environmental hazards and impacts of power sources before they are labeled as clean or green.
MassDEP has requested comments from the public about its CES plan. Email MassDEP today at climate.strategies@state.ma.us and tell them they should NOT consider nuclear power as a clean energy source!
Just look at some of the impacts from Pilgrim:
- Kills about 14.5 million fish and 160 billion blue mussels every year with its once-through cooling system
- Its life-cycle is not emission-free (there are CO2 emissions associated with uranium mining and processing, construction and decommissioning, and daily operations).
- Uses uranium as fuel. Uranium mining and processing contaminates water, air and soil and has caused significant health problems for mine-workers and surrounding communities.
- Requires huge quantities of water for cooling and generating power (up to 510 million gallons per day!)
- Permitted and unpermitted pollution occurs, including wastewater discharge, thermal pollution of source waters, and leaks of tritium, tolyltriazole, sodium nitrite, and more.
- Generates large quantities of highly radioactive nuclear waste as a byproduct, and there is currently no national plan to safely store nuclear waste long-term. Nuclear waste is expected to be highly radioactive for hundreds of thousands of years.
- Cited at about 20 feet above mean sea level and directly on the shoreline – making it inherently unsafe from climate change patterns such as sea level rise, stronger storms, storm surge, flooding, and wave action. Presently the FEMA velocity zone for Pilgrim ranges between 16 and 18 feet above mean sea level, demonstrating that Pilgrim is vulnerable!
Please email MassDEP today! Tell them they should NOT label nuclear power as a “clean” energy source in the Clean Energy Standard! [email: climate.strategies@state.ma.us] The deadline is Monday, Nov. 3rd so please email today.