With the oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico and onto our coastlines making it increasingly clear that we are facing an epic and unprecedented crisis, more than 20 national and Gulf Coast organizations released an open letter to President Obama urging him to adopt five specific principles as the administration continues efforts to combat the enormous short term, intermediate and long term challenges before us.
Full text of the letter below:
Dear Mr. President,
With every passing day, it is increasingly clear that the oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico and onto our coastlines from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig is an epic and unprecedented crisis. Now more than ever, we need bold leadership from you personally as well as from staff throughout your administration to combat this disaster of a lifetime.We believe your administration should adopt the following principles as you continue your efforts to combat the enormous short term, intermediate and long term challenges before us. As you know, we are eager to assist you in all aspects of this massive undertaking.
Stop the gusher -- We recognize that your administration is working round the clock to stop the gusher, and we commend your commitment to doing so. We know that you will continue to employ all tools at your disposal to stop this catastrophe, which has already wreaked havoc in the Gulf with the potential for far worse to come.
Now is not the time for new drilling -- The disaster in the Gulf, and the conduct of companies like BP, is a painful illustration of the perils of offshore drilling. We urge you to restore coastal protections for areas currently not leased for off shore oil and gas drilling and cancel exploratory drilling permits for the Beaufort and Chukchi seas.
Make the Gulf communities and environment whole -- Gulf coast communities, which supply 30 percent of the nation's wild caught seafood and still have not recovered from Hurricane Katrina and subsequent storms, are suffering from this oil drilling disaster. Gulf coastal wetlands have been under assault by the oil industry for half of a century, and this disaster will further destroy them. The federal government and BP must be held accountable to restore the communities and environment of all of the affected areas. More specifically, impacted communities should receive full compensation for financial losses, all health expenses from medical care and missed work for clean-up workers and other affected people should be covered, legal and translation skills should be provided to assist with compensation and wetlands should be restored.
Demand more accountability and transparency from government and industry -- There is a clear consensus that there has been a failure in oversight and access to information. The administration must completely rethink the regulatory relationship and the requirements regarding drilling. There should also be a comprehensive safety review of all existing offshore wells. In addition, BP and the federal government must immediately release all information regarding the response to the spill including: spill size and impacts, any and all data regarding the chemical properties and impacts of dispersants, as well as contamination testing. Oil companies and other responsible parties -- not taxpayers or those affected -- should be liable for the full costs of cleaning up the spill and compensating the victims.
End dependence on oil and move to a new clean energy economy -- Your administration and Congress should commit the nation to a path that ends our dependence on oil. You should immediately put policies in place to dramatically cut our oil use. Most urgently, you should speed the transition to a clean energy economy by enacting comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation that creates jobs, makes America energy independent, and reduces global warming pollution.
We believe our collective response to this ongoing catastrophe has fallen far short thus far, but we look forward to working with you to dramatically ramp up our efforts in the coming days, weeks, and months. With the potential for environmental and economic devastation for decades to come, we must leave no stone unturned as we as we work together to prevent the worst consequences in the Gulf and avoid similar disasters in the future.
Sincerely,
Cindy Shogan, Executive Director
Alaska Wilderness LeagueDaniel Magraw, President
Center for International Environmental LawJohn DeCock, President
Clean Water ActionJohn Kassel, President
Conservation Law FoundationRodger Schlickeisen, President
Defenders of WildlifeTrip Van Noppen, President
EarthjusticeMargie Alt, Executive Director
Environment AmericaFred Krupp, President
Environmental Defense FundErich Pica, President
Friends of the EarthPhillip Radford, Executive Director
GreenpeacePhaedra Ellis-Lamkins, Chief Executive Officer
Green For AllCynthia Sarthou, Executive Director
Gulf Restoration NetworkDavid W. Hoskins, Executive Director
Izaak Walton League of AmericaGene Karpinski, President
League of Conservation VotersMarylee M. Orr, Executive Director
Louisiana Environmental Action Network/Lower Mississippi RiverkeeperJohn Echohawk, Executive Director
Native American Rights FundFrances Beinecke, President & CEO
Natural Resources Defense CouncilVikki Spruill, President & CEO
Ocean ConservancyAndrew Sharpless, CEO
OceanaMichael Brune, Executive Director
Sierra ClubWilliam Meadows, President
The Wilderness SocietyKevin Knobloch, President
Union of Concerned ScientistsPeter Bahouth, Executive Director
U.S. Climate Action Network
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2. Divert billions of oil subsidies to the development of a U.S. Military oil disaster response/prevention program. Maintain a state-of-the-art portfolio of technology and ingenuity in order to avoid dependence on private companies.
3. Divert billions of oil subsidies to the rapid conversion of the U.S. economy to clean/renewable energy.
4. Replace the Income Tax with the Outgo or Pollution Tax.
In terms of nuclear, the only thing that will rest my irrational fears - it has to be built inside of a football stadium-size lead box with 30 foot walls...underground. Launch pollution into the core of the earth.
The EPA should regulate that all toxic chemicals appear glowing orange when mixed with water. All smoke stacks should be outfit with filter screens. Tomorrow.
It's sad because we are killing ourselves.
Hurrican Power. Steam Power Parabolic Solar Concentrators.
"Radioactive" sounds way more complicated(and expensive) than "Wind".
Economy. Lots of Jobs.
I have been working with nuclear power for 30 years, I would be happy to have a new Nuclear power plant or high level waste disposal facility in my community. My family and I live in a home within 10 miles of a nuclear power plant. (where I work) I understand the risks involved and I'm completely comfortable with a plant "in my backyard". I have confidence that my grandchildren’s grandchildren will be smart enough to treat the nuclear "waste" as a valuable resource or at least smart enough to handle it safely . If the cavemen thought their children would be too stupid to use fire safely, where would we be now?
Using Chernobyl as a reason not to build is like saying because of the Hindenburg I will never fly in a commercial airliner.
Nuclear power has the smallest environmental impact of any current energy production method per unit of energy produced. One fuel pellet about the size of a pencil eraser produces the same energy as about 1 ton of coal, and if reprocessed 2/3 of what’s left can be reclaimed. Nuclear power is our best option for reliable, environmentally friendly base-load electrical power.
thanks for the mega tons of million year deadly waste: the worst pollution to the planet EVER.
Thanks for the new nuclear powers who learned bomb material making from reactors sold in the Atoms for Peace nuclear energy plan.....
Thanks for the doubling of the worlds background radiation, in just 50 years with only a few percent of our electricity from nukes, think of what we can get the background radiation to if all our electricity comes from nukes?!
Don't works, radiation is good for you, unless it comes from coal, 1000 years of deadly waste is a good thing, since it's better than the current million years of waste, it is more radioactive though, making great for dirty bombs, but don't worry, Chernobyl is all better now, total safe.
then add the great BP oil spill, to convince you you should trust big money with nuke power? LOL!
bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha haa haaaaaa......
"I have been working with nuclear power for 30 years..."
..well that would explain a lot then. Oh, and no need to worry about your "grandchildren's grandchildren" if you get your way... they just won't be an issue - bwa ha ha ha ha ha!
PROS
1. Fission is the most energy for the least fuel with current technology
2. Waste is all accounted for, not released into the atmosphere to become someone else's problem
3. Uranium is readily available, very common in the earth's crust
4. Economical - fuel cost is a much smaller percentage of the total, therefore less susceptible to price fluctuations
5. Reliable - Nuclear power plants have high capacity factors, Much higher than solar or wind
6. No combustion, no Co, CO2 or SO2 released
7. Creates high paying, skilled jobs
8. Reduce dependence on foreign oil/ fuel
9. High temperature reactors can produce Hydrogen as well as electricity
10. Fantastic safety record
11, Does not require back-up and storage facilities like solar and wind
12. Cheaper than solar per Mw produced
13. Takes up less land than Solar or wind
14. May be located almost anywhere on earth, most efficient near a cooling water source
15. Used fuel can power the nation for centuries in Generation IV reactors
CONS
1. Irrational fear of all things nuclear
2. High cost to build and license, large initial investment for long term pay back
3. Publicly accepted high level storage facility not domestically available
4. Reprocessing facility not domestically available
5 High cost of personnel
6. Security concerns, proliferation and terrorism
Nuclear power, is the best, safest, most reliable, current technology to provide energy. The plants operating now are safe, new designs are even safer
versus
solar and wind achieving 2-6 cents, and Waste Bio fuels at 26$ per barrel. safe, clean and forever.
We at Green Power for now over 2 Years built and operate a Full Scale System converting all forms of Waste with Hydro Carbons in it, so nearly everything you throw away with the exception of Metal, Glass and stones into High Quality Fossil Free Fuels. The Fuel can be straight filed into cars and engines, Airplanes etc. no modifications needed. Now you will ask why is this not all over, because of one Beaurocrat in Spokane Washington Ecology Office as he stops us all the way. Other Countries are contracting with us, but in US we are still not allowed to operate full time. We are asked to move manufacturing overseas, we don’t want to, we would lose here in US cheap local Fuel out of waste and the Jobs as well. We did it without Government help and we have it working to prove our claim, on full scale . Why spend Billions of Government funding to develop something when we already have it.
Our system can give countries fuel and energy independence out of local resources at a much lower price than regular fuel on the Market.
Check us out at http://www.facebook.com/greenpowerinc or http://www.cleanenergyprojects.com.
Green Power Inc
Waste Bio Fuels is an essential part of the green energy plan.
Eventually we throw away everything we grow.
So the total output of the land get used, then converter to energy and fuel.
Start a petition, Chu is hell bent on nukes, and continuing the status quo of energy, with his proportional funding. we need to convenience him otherwise.
Fanned!
http://www.css.cornell.edu/faculty/lehmann/publ/BiofBioproBioref%203,%20547-562,%202009%20Laird.pdf
That will make Fossils and Nuke power more expensive, we can ramp it up to give time for the people and the markets to adjust to it, but we should stop all fossil and nuke help from the republic and we put all that money and more into green energy: Solar, Wind and Waste Bio Fuels.
Specifically, Rooftop PV Solar, Offshore wind, and Waste Bio char, can supply the worlds energy and fuel needs: cleanly, safely, Forever, within 12 years and cheaper in the long run 2-6 cents now, and 26$ per barrel bio oils.
http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/solar_panels.htm
about 1$ per Wp solar panels, new.
install solar plants for about $1.30 per watt, compared with an industry average of about $1.75, according to Hardy." http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20602099&sid=a7K1FZoNgJ0w
Wind: “between two and six cents today, depending on location.12 Wind power approaches competitiveness with conventional generation at this price point. “
http://www.repp.org/articles/static/1/binaries/wind%20issue%20brief_FINAL.pdf
http://www.css.cornell.edu/faculty/lehmann/publ/BiofBioproBioref%203,%20547-562,%202009%20Laird.pdf
26$ per barrel bio oil from waste bio char.”
Sadly, Fossil and Nukes have 100 times as much money to buy congress as green energy producer do.
You watch who wins: the Status quo.
I am responsible for a 250 Watt radio station on a remote mountain top in California. It is located there because it has clear coverage of two major cities. But, alas, there is not nearby mains power. So we used solar, wind and a backup diesel generator. We computed the amazing amount of power in a square meter of sunlight at noon in midsummer with the panel perpendicular to the sun’s rays (over a 1000 W from just a square meter). We rejoiced in the stiff thermally generated ocean breezes on a warm summer afternoon. We designed a huge “fudge factor” to allow for variation in the supplies, and automatic switchover between sources, and we employ a large bank of solar cells and batteries. We were solidly over-engineered.
The wind and solar options have repeatedly failed us. The rough environment and icing has shortened their life and reduced their efficiency to the point where they are mere curiosities. The primitive road does not allow regular delivery of fuel. We are considering running miles of power lines to the nearest civilization to get mains electrical power so we can stay on the air. This is annoying for a radio station, but no lives are at stake. But do we want this for our cities as well?
unsubstantiated rumors?
You've really given up,.
let it go, find a new cause....
Hey, Jay, have you ever lived with a renewable energy system? I have. I was married to a guy who was totally committed to it, and all I can say is that if you like living in TN with no air conditioning in the summer, you’ll love it. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to run a fan. Unless you can spend at least $20K on a home system, you’ll have to make a choice whether to run the coffee pot or the blender. You’ll need to order special (very expensive) washing machines and refrigerators, too.
Renewable energy sucks. That’s all there is too it. I’m all for conserving and using energy wisely. However, the idea that you can easily and cheaply get all your power from the sun or the wind is BS.
BTW, I’m married to someone else now, and we live on the grid.
Utter bile.
From a nuke user...
Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..................____________________
Revolutionary cost-competitive, renewable, technologies are beginning to emerge. A promising first step is dramatic reduction in fuel consumption.
Moving Beyond Oil and Running on Water at; http://www.aesopinstitute.org discuss some surprising possibilities.
Breakthrough, inherently decentralized, technologies are moving forward in several countries.
However, the science is new and difficult to accept.
Government and independent labs are increasingly involved and practical applications are on the horizon.
As we can see in the Gulf, fossil fuels threaten to sharply impact life on earth much more quickly and severely than is generally realized.
Another hit will be oil prices, which could exceed $100 per barrel in a matter of months. That can abort economic recovery.
With one example of new science and technology, a barrel of ordinary water is expected to replace 200 barrels of oil. A gallon or two might power a future hybrid car 1,000 miles.
The oil catastrophe in the Gulf is an alarm clock!
Time to accelerate the development of breakthrough alternatives as rapidly as is humanly possible!
A 24/7 development program is pending and is ready to be born. A few wise, adventuresome, risk takers can accelerate the birth!