Call Senate now to stop tax credits for new nukes
Even though the Senate only has a few days of session left, Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM) is still attempting to prop up the nuclear power industry by working to enact a 1.8 cent nuclear production tax credit. Since Domenici's energy bill failed to pass last year, he now is trying to revive this tax credit, intended to support the construction of new nuclear reactors, on a corporate tax reform package, S 1637 now in a Senate-house conference committee.
According to yesterday's Congress Daily, "Domenici said a "very large" federal investment -- largely in the form of the pending production tax credits -- "is essential" in building the first two or four new nuclear plants since the last one went online in 1996. "With this production tax credit, we'll make nuclear power not only doable but it will be the low cost option for energy in the future," Domenici told reporters today. Rep. Judy Biggert, R-Ill., chairwoman of the House Science Energy Subcommittee, added that the production tax credit "could bring about a renaissance of nuclear power in the United States."
The House version of this bill does not contain the 1.8 cent tax credit. This is to our advantage since the bills would have to be reconciled in committee if the tax credit is left in the Senate Committee version.
Domenici cited a new report released today by the University of Chicago that says this production tax credit is essential if nuclear power is going to be competitive with coal- and gas-fired power plants and is needed in order to build the first new nuclear power reactors. Then, Domenici claims, nuclear power wouldn't need any more money. We've heard that lie before. Of course the study doesn't count capital costs when talking about how competitive nuclear power is, making its conclusions nearly meaningless.
Call your senators today and let them know you don't want yet another subsidy for nuclear power: If nuclear power can't stand on its own financial feet than it should tumble and let other safer, saner energy sources take over.
We stand an excellent chance of defeating the latest incarnation of this taxpayer subsidy to nuclear power, but you must call now! If your Senator is on the conference committee (members listed below), please call right away, and ask your friends to call too. It may even be that some members have not yet heard of Domenici's plan; if that's the case, tell them about it and to oppose any such plan Domenici puts forward.
Conference Committee Republicans are: Committee Chairman Grassley; orrin Hatch (Utah); Don Nickles (Okla.); Trent Lott (Miss.); Olympia Snowe (Maine); Jon Kyl (Ariz.); Craig Thomas (Wyo.); Rick Santorum (Pa.); Gordon Smith (ore.); Jim Bunning (Ky.); Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and Judd Gregg —LM (N.H.).
Conference Committee Democrats are: Ranking member Max Baucus (Mont.); Jay Rockefeller (W.Va.); Tom Daschle -LM (S.D.); John Breaux (La.); Kent Conrad (N.D.); Bob Graham (Fla.); Jeff Bingaman (N.M.); and Blanche Lincoln (Ark.); Ted Kennedy (Mass.) and Tom Harkin (Iowa).
But call your senators even if they aren't on the conference committee—letting every senator feel the heat on this will make it that much harder for Domenici to proceed. NIRS recently won a Project Censored award for the Nuclear Monitor's coverage of this exact issue. Domenici and the nuclear industry would prefer that this issue stay "censored" and out of public view. It's up to us to bring it to the public light. Ask your neighbors to call, and let your media know about it too.
Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121
Toll-free: 1-800-839-5276
Thanks for your help!
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