weinberg oped sunsentinel april2013

Home News Broward Palm Sports Entertainment Life Health Business

Luz Weinberg: Don't be in a hurry to replace state's nuclear plantsApril 8, 2013 | By Luz Weinberg, By Luz Weinberg

It has been interesting to see the recent calls for replacement of nuclear energy facilities with plantsuse fossil fuels. We've heard it from anti-nuclear activists, journalists,politicians. We should be cautious of these hasty demands and consider the consequences.

Most people who are well informed about the relationship nuclear energy facilities are the only type of large-scale electricity supply that emits greenhouse gasses.

Over the past four decades in Florida, we have had five nuclear reactorspercent to as little as 12 percent (currently) of our state's electricity. Had fossil fuel plants generated that electricity, the difference would have been more than one air.

Florida's nuclear facilities reduced fossil fuel usage by the equivalent of 5 trillion barrels of oil or 30quintillion BTU of natural gas (that's 30 trillion million). Moreover,in avoided fossil fuel purchases, which was a cost that Floridians would have had to pay.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, nuclear energy facilities have been responsible for nearly half of the total voluntary reductions in greenhouse gas emissions reported by U.S. companies.Nuclear plants help regions meet air pollution standards.

Home → Collections → Air Pollution

Related Articles

Nuclear power a clean source of affordable energy February 1, 2008

of 3Luz Weinberg: Don't be in a hurry to replace state's nuclear plants - Sun Sentinel

8/13/2014http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-04-08/news/fl-lwcol-energy-oped0408-20130408_1_...

While these statistics may not be important to some, the absence of zerohave impacts that affect others in disproportionate ways. Society has become more aware that adverse environmental and health impacts hit minority populations hardest.

The group Physicians for Social Responsibility has stated, "While air pollution adversely affects the entire U.S. population – children, the elderly, and people suffering from chronicvulnerable. Compared to adults, children spend more time out of doors, breathe more rapidly, and inhale more pollutants per pound of body weight. The elderly are more susceptible to air pollution because theirimmune systems are weakened by age and they often suffer from one or moreand minority communities also are disproportionately affected by air pollution because they often are situated closer to pollution sources."

This growing recognition has helped us begin factoring disproportionate impacts into our decisions aboutpower plants. In 1997, for example, the Florida Legislature created theCommission, the purpose of this group was "…to determine the disproportionate and cumulative concentration of environmental hazards in people of color and lowFlorida can best address these inequities…with emphasis on future preventiongreater degree of risk to which such communities may be

There is much debate about nuclear energy throughout Florida right now. Some of the attentionfrom well-staged campaigns by anti-nuclear activists. Some of itamongst lawmakers about the best way to finance necessary nuclear facilities that are large and take long periods of time to build. There has been a temporary spike in the public interest onfollowing the recent decision by Duke Energy to retire the Crystaloperation.

This public conversation is healthy, but let's make sure we get the facts and the conclusions right. Be especially cautious of erratic proposals to replace nuclear facilities with fossil fuelto repeal current financing laws that would kill any chances for future emission

3 veggies keeping you fatbeyonddiet.com

If you never eat these 3 veggies, You will burn belly

Cleaner air due to zero-emission nuclear energy facilities is especiallycommunities that need clean air and low-cost electricity the most. As Nils Diaz, a Floridian who served as the first-ever Hispanic Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said, "Nuclear power plays akey role in maintaining the clean air and predictable electricity cost thatFloridians need."

Luz Weinberg is a member of the Clean and Safe Energy Coalition and is Vice Mayor of the City ofAventura.

Permit Expediter Servicerunmypermit.com

Contractors - Save Time & Money! Let us Submit & Track Your Permits

Femalehairessentials.com/hair

Read our success stories. Now it's yourReclaim your life

Adding nuclear plants makes for disaster January 14, 2008

Fpl Acquisition Buys Nuclear-service Firm September 8, 2000

Money Goes Toward Taxes, Financing Costs July 30, 1998

Florida working on improving power-generation record June 1, 2007

Find More Stories About

Air Pollution



Do Heat appreciate magnitude of Game 5?

Jailed dancer removes clothes, masturbates while in holding cell

FreeWith Code

Do nicknames"sacrifice" mantra?

Does

1.

2.

3.

4.

Solar Power Companies

10 Best Mutual Funds

Top Penny Stocks

Best Energy Stocks

5.

6.

7.

8.

See Also

Featured Articles

MORE:

So perhaps there is a place for Haslem?

Jailed dancer removes clothes, masturbates while in holding cell

Can Bosh, Wade break out of their funk?

Index by Keyword | Index by Date | Privacy Policy |

Terms of Service

Please note the green-lined linked article text has been applied commercially without any involvement from

our newsroom editors, reporters or any other editorial staff.



weinberg oped sunsentinel april2013

Documents