Thursday, February 18, 2010

Obama Nuclear: He Finally Listened To The Center

Senator Obama weathered tritium leaks at a nuclear power plant in his home state when he was a member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Presidential candidate Obama danced on both sides of the nuclear issue by saying that it should 'be on the table' while opposing Yucca Mountain. Now, after clearly taking note of the Center's drumbeat for a decade on this issue, President Obama stepped up to the plate and proposed increasing loan guarantees for nuclear power plants by $36 billion. The Center was a Special Guest of the White House at the signing of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 that established the $18.5 billion in current loan guarantees for nuclear power plants. Thank you for validating our work Mr. President. And expanding upon it.It is interesting that President Obama opposed the 'Republican' cap and trade program by voting against President Bush's Clear Skies Initiative. We tried to get then Senator Obama to sponsor an Environmental Justice Allowance Reserve (EJAR) amendment to the legislation, but he ultimately sponsored another type of bill with Hillary Clinton. Now Republicans are opposing President Obama's cap and trade program. Aren't Washington politics wonderful? Now President Obama has become not only the greenest president in history, he has also become the first real nuclear president. President Obama is the Green Nuclear President (Greenuclear).

Of course, Mr. President, you will be vilified by the environmental community while not receiving appropriate support from Republicans on climate change and energy legislation. You will be vilified by both sides for not being pure. Just know that you have done the right thing (even if we want you to drink the Yucca Mountain Kool-Aid). Just keep reading our blog and websites. Clearly you are listening to the only environmental organization that publicly and aggressively supports nuclear power.

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