A letter from Bob Stannard – The People’s Lobbyist
In September of ’07, after nearly a quarter of a century of being in politics either as a State Representative or as a lobbyist, I was quite content working as the Executive Director of a non-profit, Downtown Development Corporation in Bennington, Vermont. I will never forget the day I received a phone call from a friend and former colleague who suggested, no make that insisted, that I take a look at the issue of continued operations, and waste production, of the Entergy Nuclear plant in Vernon, Vt. Until that day I assumed that nuclear power was clean, safe and inexpensive; just like I’ve been told by the industry for sixty years. It took only a few short weeks for my confidence in my beliefs to have been shaken. It’s now been four months and I am convinced that we absolutely have to find a better way to create electricity than this precarious technology. I am fortunate to be able to put a lifetime of political experience to use to try to make a difference in the small state of my ancestors. For eight generations my family has lived in the Dorset area having moved here in 1760. Those who came before me worked hard every day to ensure that the lives of those coming after them would be a better life. For the first time we are poised to go the other way. Nuclear technology is a deadly legacy that our generation is leaving for those who will follow us for hundreds of generations to come. That is just wrong. When we see Abu Dubai, an oil rich country, building new, state of the art cities completely powered by renewable, alternative power sources we have to start asking what is our end game? They sell us their oil, which we pay handsomely for, and use our money to build buildings that use the sun’s power for its electricity. What is wrong with that picture? I have entered into a commitment with the Citizens Action Network to do whatever it takes to ensure that the Entergy plant closes in 2012 as scheduled. Running an outdated, ancient plant that could not be built using today’s standards, at 20% greater rate than it was designed for 40 years ago and allowing it to do so for an additional twenty to forty years is, well, insanity. But when looked at objectively, insanity is the word that best defines this technology and our infatuation with it. Bob Stannard – Lobbyist for the people. |
Let me begin by saying it is an honor to have been chosen by the Citizens Action Network to serve as its first ever lobbyist in Vermont. Like most Americans I knew very little about nuclear power and the nuclear industry a few short months ago.