Nuclear repeal plan a bad idea
It's fitting that state Rep. JoAnn Osmond (61st District, Antioch) picked April 1st to introduce an amendment to the Public Utilities Act repealing the moratorium on new nuclear reactor construction in Illinois until a permanent disposal solution is first implemented for the dangerous, long-lived high-level radioactive wastes they generate.
Perhaps attempting to demonstrate just how severely scientifically challenged the Legislature is, only a fool would advocate opening the flood gates to generate even more of some of the most hazardous substances humanity has ever created before implementing an environmentally responsible permanent disposal solution.
As a parallel encore, maybe another legislator will promote state building codes that don't require bathrooms in new buildings - you know, to ease the regulatory burden on poor cash-strapped developers.
No great urgency for new reactors - or even large power plants - currently exists in Illinois to justify such a bone-headed move. The urgency that does exist is to rapidly increase market share for truly sustainable renewable energy resources, like wind and solar, as is mandated in the recently passed Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards legislation. Repealing the nuclear moratorium deliberately undercuts the implementation of renewable energy sources in Illinois.
Rep. Osmond and other supporters of this nonsense are simply shilling for Big Energy. Repealing the nuclear moratorium is incompatible with the sustainable energy future of Illinois. It should be defeated.
David A. Kraft, Director, Nuclear Energy Information Service (NEIS) | Chicago