| Reprint article from Feb. 2008: Western Kentucky Water: Will it be for Tourism or Energy Power Plants? |
Ivan Potter
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| From Courier Journal Article: The existing law effectively puts a moratorium on nuclear power in Kentucky, since there is no permanent disposal facility in the United States. The federal government has been studying locating one at Yucca Mountain in Nevada for more than two decades. But the legislation by Sens. Bob Leeper, I-Paducah, and Charlie Borders, R-Russell, and Rep. Steven Rudy, R-West Paducah, would allow nuclear power plants in Kentucky as long as they have a waste-disposal plan that complies with federal law, such as securing the waste at the plants. The waste remains dangerous for thousands of years. Leeper and Borders both acknowledged that the bill could help constituents involved in the nuclear fuel industry, but they also said they are looking to help the nation and Kentucky diversify their energy supplies. EDITORIAL: When will the insanity stop? This week wholesale price of flour doubled! Oil maintains a $ 100 plus price per barrel. Gas this summer will go to $4.00 a gallon. Corn is being grown for fuel and at the same time, competing with corn for food. Yet, there is a simple truth to all this, “You cannot eat gold or drank oil in order to live.” Water trumps both gold and oil. Water brings life and without it, civilizations collapse. Americans use 20 million barrels of oil each day. This is 25% of the worlds daily usage. Yet, Americans make up only 5% of the world’s population. 500 hundred billion dollars a year of Americans paying for gas is going offshore into the oil rich nations. What will it take to wake up our citizens to this path of destruction for our civilization? Many experts believe the turning point will be in two years when we run out of water during the August drought of 2010. At that point, there is a potential for some 3 million to 5 million Americans living in the southeast to run out of public water. This event could mean these same people may face the additional possibility of running out of electricity, if the nuclear power plants have to shut down because they cannot have access to enough water for coolant. From 2010 through 2018 water will become the most sought after resource in America. Yet, in Kentucky our public officials are dead set on destroying Western Kentucky with plans for more large scale coal power plants as well as at least one nuclear plant. If this public policy is allowed to go unchallenged, then we will see in our life times the lost of vast water resources and reserves to the millions of gallons of water being used as coolant for nuclear and coal power plants. We are confronted with making a choice about corn. Which is it food or fuel? At the same time we are on the path of deciding how water will be used. Will it be for drinking, tourism, or nuclear core coolant? Scary isn’t it. You go to bed one night, confident that what is taking place in Frankfort is far removed from your personal space. Morning light comes and with it, news of HB 542. Rep. Steve Rudy is working hard to allow for a nuclear power plant to be built in your neighborhood. The nightmare continues. You wake up and realize that with Steve Rudy’s proposed House Bill, water resources could be consumed by a heat monster that will ravage rivers and lakes for cheap coolant for its nuclear core. This monster will make expensive electricity for our life of continuous consumption of things we really do not need. There must be a better way of addressing these issues. Maybe all those small and large businesses who make their living off of tourism and water related events may very well want to chat with Rep. Rudy as to what his plans are for west Kentucky before it is too late for public input and debate. The time is approaching quickly for us in West Kentucky to make a public choice.. Who will own our natural resources, fantastic views, rivers, lakes and the beauty of the sunsets? Will it be the new retirees, tourists, or energy robber barons? |
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