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Greenpeace founder Patrick Moore was asked no hard questions
Greenpeace founder Patrick Moore was asked no hard questions
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Fri May 9, 2008 23:24:14 CDT
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Tue May 13, 2008 00:06:20 CDT
I'm disappointed the original naysayer refused my challenge! Not surprised though. There should be no "risk of future contamination from nuclear waste since the methods of recycling used fuel rods are tried and proven for some years now.Let's get something straight here: peak oil is right around the corner. That year may shift a little with vast new reserves found in Brazil and Nebraska.
However, what happens when this global warming is finally exposed as the garbage it really is and we have a couple of really cold winters? What will the price of heating oil be then?
Jobs! Yeah we need the jobs! Please don't talk bad about jobs until you haven't had one for four years! Or you've been sick and are trying to get back into the workplace!
Victoria has several new construction and expansion project that will be starting soon. One already has. There are a lot of working people, some working poor that are suffering because of this NAFTE/CAFTA/OPEC created mess! These projects are a blessing to Victoria. In fact, my church has been praying for some relief for those who need the work for some time. I see these projects as an answer to prayers! Those who're opposing the nuclear plant just for the NIMBY reason need to admit that! There is nothing unsafe or environmentally unsound about this project. I know! I've done my homework on it! I'm going to support it 100% just as I opposed the Lower Guadalupe Water Supply Project 100%!
Sun May 11, 2008 15:45:27 CDT
ragman: You got that right. I want that flying car too! mark: I remember the term "electricity too cheap to meter!"
allfiredup: Keep reading. I've been looking at this new Generation III+ technology for months. I believe this will far exceed the grim predictions you quoted. If we have half a brain we'll increase our nuclear power usage! These new reactors pose no threat to our future generations.
Sun May 11, 2008 14:21:16 CDT
I wasn't alive in the late 40's-- but--I remember that in the future, power would be free--if it was produced by nuclear means. I guess not though. Hey, and where is my flying car darn-it!
Sun May 11, 2008 13:34:50 CDT
Remember in the late forties we were all being told that nuclear energy generated electricity would become so cheap it would be given away? I do and am still waiting.Alternative fuels should be developed but in the years and years until they are. What are we going use beside petroleum products?
Roy Mark
Sun May 11, 2008 11:55:02 CDT
I think everyone needs to do a little more reading on the topic of "recycling spent nuclear fuel". Please go herehttp://www.ne.doe.gov/pdfFi...
Please note the mission and goals are for future development of advanced technologies.
Fifty years ago we were told scientists would find a solution to the problem of dealing with highly radioactive materials that remain lethal for thousands of years and so far the scientists have not solved that problem.
I also found this quite interesting. From a column by AGI/AIPG Geoscience & Public Policy Intern Timothy J. Donahue reprinted from the November 2006 issue of The Professional Geologist, a publication of the American Institute of Professional Geologists.
"According to the Energy Information Administration, even if several new nuclear power plants are built and all 103 of the older plants continue to operate, nuclear energy will only represent 15% of U.S. sources for electricity generation in 2030 because while the nuclear power supply will increase a small amount, the demand for energy will grow even faster. Thus although there is renewed interest in expanding nuclear power capacity in the U.S., the incentives in EPACT 2005 and the promises of GNEP are perhaps not enough to overcome a decrease in total nuclear capacity with a concomitant increase in fossil-fuel capacity. Currently, coalfired plants and natural gas-fired plants represent 50% and 20%, respectively of U.S. electricity generation and these percentages are expected to increase in the future. More drastic policy changes and probably significant federal investment may be needed to significantly boost U.S. nuclear power capacity."
This tells me we are not reducing the use of fossil fuels, only increasing the risk of future contamination by nuclear waste.
And read this..
http://www.counterpunch.org...
There are cheaper, cleaner, alternative energy sources to be developed and that's what we should be focusing on.
Finally, since I'm tired of doing this research on my Sunday off, I think this has more to do with people seeing jobs for the Victoria area and to hell with whatever consequences may befall us. I think we owe it to our future generations to think this through and seek other avenues for energy and jobs.
Sat May 10, 2008 21:15:46 CDT
Eight hours and no hard questions! The silence is deafening! Come on! Un pregunta, por favor!
Sat May 10, 2008 12:56:39 CDT
I read with interest the comments by rhsg concerning the presentation by Dr. Patrick Moore at the semi-annual membership meeting of Victoria Economic Development Corporation. The meeting was "closed" only in that it was a membership meeting!rhsg wanted us to be "truly innovative and try a solar power plant!" Hmm! After looking into this option some years ago I did a cost benefit analysis and came to the conclusion that I couldn't afford to try to save that much money. Solar energy is best done in the singular mode for cottages and small houses away from the power grid and by owners that have the time to conduct regular maintenance on the system. "System?" Oh yeah, you don't just put up some panels and walk away! Believe it or not the sun really does go down. Lead acid battery racks are necessary to store power for night-time power use. Having installed these battery systems I can testify that they can be nasty and create some dangerous and deadly fumes among their other health and environmental hazards!
"Victoria has so much unused land around the county-how about using some of the thousands of acres of land which make up some of the huge surrounding ranches?" This is indeed an interesting observation! These "huge surrounding ranches" are used for beef cattle production and covering them with solar panels would interfere with that production of the food that goes on our tables. Indeed if all of those thousands of acres were covered with solar panels, whose property would you condemn to build the battery power storage facilities. Between the solar arrays and the battery storage the actual use of the land would exceed the size of the nuclear plant and create an incredible amount of acidic fumes from that many (a few million) batteries! If I recall correctly, and I do, nuclear power emits no fumes, acidic or otherwise and emits ZERO greenhouse gasses! So rhsg seems to want to trade ZERO greenhouse gasses for hydrochloric acid fumes!
I support solar, passive solar and photovoltaic power production for individual homes and businesses. I have used solar in the past and will soon be using it again. Many passive solar applications are surprisingly inexpensive to utilize and I recommend it heartily!
"It's clean and safe for all and by the way where are you planning on storing your nuclear waste which will be around for thousands of years?" Hmm! If rhsg had bothered to do just a little research, like I did, the fact is that congress has opened the way for nuclear waste recycling. Indeed, spent fuel rods can be recycled until they are literally used up. The French, Chinese and Russians have been doing it for decades! Should the price of heating oil and natural gas continue to rise I expect the spent nuclear fuel now stored will be recycled in a big way! Yes rhsg, I will "own up" to having spent many long hours researching this issue simply because I was concerned whether this project will endanger our water resources, specifically groundwater! And after those many hours I have determined it will not!
"Wind farms are becoming a new cash crop for farmers in the Midwest who are leasing land to windmill development or selling the power from windmills themselves." On this we agree! I'd like to see Victoria County literally dotted with windmills. They are indeed simple and majestic looking machines that produce power without the burning of any fuel whatsoever! When they are constructed near existing power grids they will most certainly help provide very inexpensive power. The GE 3.6 megawatt windmill is actually very efficient. The only problem with wind power is sometimes the wind doesn't blow. Recently, there was an electrical grid shutdown because of this occurrence. I am still a strong believer in wind power. Unlike solar it does not take up a lot of space on property and can be farmed and grazed with no problem. In an interesting twist however, Jim Blackburn who is opposing Victoria's proposed nuclear facility for D.M. O'Connor Ranches, is also suing a windfarm owner in the Kingsville area because of the danger to birds! I agree, "wind is modern energy!" In the correct application, built near existing power grids, it should continue to grow in Texas. Indeed Texas is the largest producer of wind power in the nation! A fact to be proud of!
"The power of knowledge and education is crucial!" Again, I fervently agree! Because of my concern for Victoria's water resources and my long proven record of environmentalism, I have educated myself on nuclear power and our proposed project. I know that the Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR) planned for Victoria is a close cousin to the Advanced Boiling Water Reactor, a Generation III+ design used by the Japanese and Europeans for some years now. The ESBWR is a radical new design engineered to use less uranium fuel and utilize less piping and pumps cutting down on maintenance and wear and tear. It is known in the industry to be "passively safe" and I'd have no worries living within feet of the reactor building! This light water reactor is far and away safer and more efficient and environmentally sound than the 30+ year old pressure tube reactors in use today! Yes, "knowledge and education is crucial," that's why I did my homework! And you obviously did not do yours!
"Why was Victoria selected for this project?" Several reasons! We have an industrial base here. The Texas Gulf Coast, all the way to north of San Antonio and northeast to Austin is growing despite hard economic times and more electrical power is needed. Proximity to a water supply for cooling. Flat, stable geography. Superior education facilities and adequate local infrastructure and most importantly an economic development corporation that went out and twisted some arms to bring much needed high paying construction, maintenance and operations jobs to this community!
"If you don't ask questions it sounds like a done deal and for the rest of us who live 100+ miles away." Hmm! I've been asking questions for months! Was rhsg present at the Exelon presentation to the Victoria County Groundwater Conservation District? I was there and our district board members and general manager had a lot of hard questions for Exelon. Was Mrs. McKenzie there? No! Was Mrs. McKenzie at the Moore presentation? If she was she asked no hard questions! There was ample opportunity! After the presentation Dr. Moore was available at the reception to answer questions. I asked for an invitation and was assured that while this was a scheduled membership meeting I could invite whomever I wished. Also understand please, that I have not always been a great fan of our economic development folks and they have not always been happy with my comments on any subject! Just ask them! Mrs. McKenzie, or any other concerned citizen, was more than welcome. All she had to do was ask! I made use of the offer to invite a local doctor I knew was environmentally conscious! I would suggest that if Mrs. McKenzie was present, and obviously did not ask any "hard questions" that she was not adequately representing the group of local citizens she speaks of. May I also suggest that if, after doing exhaustive homework on Generation III+ nuclear power, I am comfortable living within feet of an ESBWR reactor building, that someone living "...100+ miles away" is certainly safe!
"Wind is cleaner energy and you have the resources in Victoria." Again, I agree! We have a convenient local power grid, plenty of open area and strong prevailing southerly winds! The question is: will Jim Blackburn and the environmental extremists he represents allow it?
Lastly, I'd like to point out that among the list of people and organizations Mrs. McKenzie listed, not one, NOT ONE joined in the loud, nasty fight against the Lower Guadalupe Water Supply Project and one of those, the Sierra Club, has worked hand in glove with GBRA on a number of occasions and it is that agency that has done so much damage to the property, wildlife habitat and lives of the people of the Lower Guadalupe Basin! Water Research Group fought tooth and nail, pinching pennies to preserve our water resources both ground and river. We also fought a bitter, nasty battle to expose the flagrant poor stewardship of the river and the months-long flooding episodes! Where was Mrs. McKenzie then? She said she attended our meetings but she remained silent! Our constant mantra was to save our water resources for OUR OWN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND USE instead of pumping it to San Antonio for theirs! Now we have a project that will keep our water here for our use and while she and here clients were silent then they speak up now! If there are hard questions to be asked, do it now! Right here! Right now! Ask away! I'll answer!
Sat May 10, 2008 10:53:08 CDT
All of the following is a direct 'Copy and paste" from the quote from the article.From the article:
[The Victoria Economic Development Committee planned a closed meeting, invitation only, to have Patrick Moore speak on the proposed nuclear facility planned for Victoria County. (Invatation only?? Open means open?)The “chosen” invitees will undoubtedly hear from Moore about the wonderful world of nuclear energy. Moore was aligned with Greenpeace for years and fought nuclear power but now extols its advantages.
Since this was a “closed meeting,” likely there was no hard questions.]
Sat May 10, 2008 10:04:42 CDT
Number one, I think that many of the questions have been asked. Maybe you haven't bothered to look for the answers. Number two, if you knew about the "closed meeting" (why the quotes?) why didn't you simply ask to attend. Despite being member supported, VEDC's meetings are not a secret and are open to the public.
Number three, it's easier to present reasoned arguments if you try not to panic.
Sat May 10, 2008 09:29:31 CDT
From the article:The Victoria Economic Development Committee planned a closed meeting, invitation only, to have Patrick Moore speak on the proposed nuclear facility planned for Victoria County.
The “chosen” invitees will undoubtedly hear from Moore about the wonderful world of nuclear energy. Moore was aligned with Greenpeace for years and fought nuclear power but now extols its advantages.
Since this was a “closed meeting,” likely there was no hard questions.
Closed meeting such as this must really appeal to some bloggers on here who openly declare they will delete any comments about their posting with which they disagree
Notary Sojac!
Roy Mark
Fri May 9, 2008 23:37:49 CDT
I recently responded to the excitement in Victoria about the nuclear power plant coming to town. Why not be truly innovative and try a solar power plant? Victoria has so much unused land around the County - how about using some of the thousands of acres of land which make up some of the huge surrounding ranches? Why not try this alternative? It's clean and safe for all, and by the way, where are you planning on storing your nuclear waste which will be around for thousands of years? That should be an interesting topic worthy of discussion since nobody wants to "own up" when this becomes a reality. Wind farms are becoming a new cash crop for farmers in the Midwest who are leasing their land to windmill development or selling the power from windmills themselves. At the present time Southern California Edison has begun construction on the largest wind transmission project in the U.S. Food crops are being planted right up to the back of the large turbines and cattle can also graze without harm.
Wind is modern energy. The power of knowledge and education is crucial! Why was Victoria selected for this nuclear project? Ask questions and inform yourselves! If you don't ask questions it sounds like a done deal for you all and for the rest of us who live 100+ miles away. SAD.
Read THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, "Mainstreaming Alternative Energy", Tuesday, May 6, 2008, Special Advertising Section. Inform yourselves. Wind is cleaner energy and you have the resources in Victoria. WOW!