NUKES MAKE A COMEBACK
There may still be plenty of passion left on the issue of nuclear power. On Saturday I moderated a panel discussion on the subject at the California Science Center. Former LADWP chief S. David Freeman talked about his days leading the Tennessee Valley Authority and all the sleepless nights worrying about a nuclear meltdown. Cal Berkley nuclear engineer Dr. Per Peterson responded that the reason Freeman couldn’t sleep well is because the TVA was poorly managed back in Freeman’s day. That exchange set the tone for the rest of the discussion. Freeman later arguing that the proponents of nuclear power were “immoral” and that the industry in the United States is “dead”. Dennis Spurgeon of the US Dept. of Energy said that was a “lie”.. that nuclear is one of several non-C02 emmitting energy sources that needed to be looked at.. noting that France had embraced the technology (80% of french power comes from nukes).
I remember the nuclear debate very well. It was during my early years as a news reporter that I covered the licensing of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant adjacent to Avila Beach in San Luis Obispo county. This was the last nuclear plant to be licensed in California. Diablo Canyon, built and operated by Pacific Gas & Electric, has been “on-line” now for 25 years without a problem.. but there are still many issues unreseolved. One of them of course is the disposal of nuclear waste.
Still one wonders if the need to address “global warming” has trumped the anti-nuclear effort. John Edwards was the last candidate for president to oppose investing in a restoration of nuclear power in the United States but his campaign suffered its own meltdown. Clinton, Obama, McCain & Huckabee are all interestedd (the Dems say the only question is if it is “safe”). Even some leading environmentalists argue that whatever the price of nuclear.. the fear of rising sea levels may make it worth the risk. Saturday indicated that there will be a vigerous debate but it thanks to Al Gore it will be much different than the one outside Diable Canyon in 1981.
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Where are all those protesters now? And while the NYT thinks the Canal Zone birth of John McCain raises questions about his legal ability to run for President, because it was in Panama, at the time, only the United States had jurisdiction over the Canal Zone, its Governor, usually a USA General was appointed by the President; the only flag that flew over the Zone was Old Glory; the “Zonians” sent delegates to both the Dem & GOP national conventions; and it took a treaty in 1978 to transfer the territory to Panama. At the time of McCain’s birth the Canal Zone was considered as much a part of the US as any other Territory.
Correcdtion, only the Democrats, at their Conventions and on their National Committee had delegates fram the Canal Zone; but the Zone was also under the jurisdiction of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.