Obama Announces Loan Guarantees for Nuclear Power Plants

Yesterday President Obama announced Federal Loan Guarantees for the construction of Nuclear power plants in the United States. This is both an important environmental and political declaration, but one that also merits some thought.

First the political side because I don't want to delve too deeply into it right now. It is interesting that Obama has committed to moving forward with nuclear energy because that is one issue on which there may very well be more support from Republicans and Conservatives than his own party. The Right has been pro-nuclear power for a very long time, while the Left has continuously stated that they are simply too dangerous and expensive to warrant use (as opposed to wind, solar and other alternative energy sources). It will be very interesting to see how it all plays out.

But now to the environmental side of the issue of nuclear power. Nuclear power is unquestionably immensely productive, and exceedingly clean. Once the plant is built, it releases little if any pollutants (including greenhouse gases). I say little rather than zero only because of the possible presence of backup generators or other small auxiliary systems running on combustion engines. In any case, the amount of pollutants released by a nuclear power plant are orders of magnitude lower than coal- or oil-burning power plants.

The only major source of waste from a nuclear power plant, of course, is the spent radioactive fuel and associated components. But if you really think about it, which is more of a problem: thousands of tons of Carbon dioxide, methane, and other pollutants, or a barrel of radioactive waste? The waste is extremely dangerous, yes. But it is also harmless if contained in its barrel in a secure storage location. That barrel is the equivalent of all the carbon sequestration technologies that are currently being researched and imagined. There are concerns about safety where nuclear waste is concerned, and there should be. But that concern cannot be allowed to morph from caution and awareness into fear and panic. 

But now we come to a question that is rarely, if ever, addressed by politicians and the media. What sort of environmental impact does the mining of uranium, enrichment process, and construction of the reactor have? Is the entire process actually any more environmentally friendly than a coal power plant? The answer there is that usually, yes it is. The process of mining, transportation, construction, etc does produce greenhouse gases among other pollutants, but bear in mind that so does the mining and transportation of coal and oil. In the end, nuclear power is more environmentally friendly than coal and oil, though by not so wide a margin as you may think.

So is it worth it? Or should we hold off on building these reactors in favor of wind, solar, or geothermal energy production? That question is highly debated, but in the end, nuclear power is exponentially more powerful than any truly 'alternative' fuel source, and usually takes up a lot less space. Imagine how large a wind farm would have to be built to offset a nuclear power plant. I can't give you an exact size, but it would be ridiculously massive. And all those turbines produce pollutants in their construction and transportation. Are these other energy sources important? Absolutely. And they need to be part of the equation where realistic. But nuclear power does too.

This announcement by our President is a momentous one, and hopefully it is one policy that will quickly become a reality.

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Ozone Thoughts

 General Information

1. The ozone hole in 2005 was the second biggest recorded: almost as big as 2000
1. The tip of South America experienced 20% lower levels in August-September, 50% lower than normal in October
2. Scientists are finding link between Ozone depletion and climate change
1. Evidence indicates that the two might ‘feed’ off each other and make both problems worse
2. Colder arctic winters => “formation of polar stratospheric clouds” intensify ozone depletion

                                                     i.     Possible Arctic ozone hole in 20 years

3. The ozone layer screens out 99% of harmful UV radiation from the sun
4. Humans have released large amounts of Bromine, chlorine, and other chemicals that deplete the ozone layer
5. Methyl bromide is especially destructive to the ozone layer
1. Bromine = 60 times more effective than chlorine
2. Short atmospheric lifespan, but devastating during that time
6. Solar cycles are only making the problem worse
1. “Solar minimum” in 2007/8 => delay recovery, and trigger increased loss
2. Scientist Martin Dameris

                                                     i.     Says sun cycles have been overlooked by the international community

                                                      ii.     “A recovery is only pretended”

7. “Reducing methyl bromide emissions is the only available strategy to mitigate short-term ozone layer depletion”
8. What is methyl bromide?
1. Agricultural pesticide
2. Pre-shipment and quarantine pesticide
3. Regulated by Montreal Protocol

                                                     i.     Shipping applications exempt

1.     Few regulations

2.     Required for shipment of “wood packaging materials”

a.     New measures greatly increase use

                                                      ii.     Developed countries = phased out by 2005

                                                        iii.     Developing countries = phased out by 2015

                                                       iv.     Existing stocks must be used before more is produced

1.     However, no real information on stockpiles

a.     2005 U.S. imported more methyl bromide than it used

                                                      v.     High levels of production continue

1.     illicit stockpiling

2.     Oversupply

3.     “Dumping” in developed countries

4.     Unreported trade => illegal trade

9. “Critical Use” loophole being exploited by many countries
1. U.S. = biggest user in the world

                                                     i.     Agricultural use = 70% of developed country total

1.     California strawberry, Florida Tomato = 52% of U.S. agricultural use

a.     Claim they are dependent on steady supply

b.     Effective alternatives used in other countries and U.S.

2. Quarantine use = 28% of global application

                                                     i.     Originally, thought small, but is being used more and more

                                                      ii.     Threatens to dwarf other applications

                                                        iii.     Over 50% of all U.S. imports/exports require treatment

10. Harmful effects of ozone depletion on humans
1. Skin cancer caused by UV radiation exposure

                                                     i.     Montreal Protocol controls

1.     Prevent 19 million non-melanoma cases by 2050

2.     Prevent 1.5 million melanoma cases by 2050

                                                      ii.     Currently, 66,000 deaths from skin cancer every year

1.     130,000 new melanoma cases

2.     2-3 million non-melanoma cases

3.     U.S. skin cancer kills someone every hour

a.     1 in 5 will develop skin cancer in their lifetime

                                                        iii.     Dramatic increase of 2 kinds of non-melanoma skin cancer in people under 40

1.     Pursuit of tans

2.     Depletion of ozone layer

3.     Children at increased risk

a.     Physiologically most vulnerable

b.     Spend large amounts of time outside

c.     Skin cancer rates in children increasing

                                                                                                           i.     U.S. Doubled 1982-2002

2. UV radiation more harmful to eyes than previously thought

                                                     i.     One of only effective preventative measures for cataracts is decrease exposure to UV radiation

                                                      ii.     Estimated 167,000-830,000 additional cases of cataracts with depletion of 5-20%

3. UV radiation is also harmful to plants and animals

                                                     i.     UV-B harm chemical and biological processes

1.     Zooplankton and phytoplankton have no defense

a.     Effect early developmental stages, reproduction

2.     Some plants are very sensitive

a.     Reduced height, foliage

11. Environment Canada estimated $224 billion in reduced damage to fisheries, agriculture, materials if Montreal Protocol fully implemented
12. Reluctance of developed nations to phase out methyl bromide is affecting viability of alternatives in developing countries
13. The Environmental Investigation Agency urges Montreal Protocol members to:
1. Not approve further Critical-use exemptions
2. Require transparency of stockpiles
3. Require greater documentation of transport, production
4. Reduce use of methyl bromide in shipping and quarantine purposes

Illegal Trade in Endangered Species: The Consumers

Major Consumers:

1. The United States (largest consumer due to being largest trader on planet)
1. Tiger products
2. Rhino horns
3. Whales (subsistence use only: reviewed regularly to ensure sustainability)
4. Birds
5. Butterflies
6. Snakes
7. Various collected species
2. China (second largest consumer: bigger than US in some areas)
1. Tiger products
2. Rhino
3. Whales (minor, unofficial imports from Japan)
3. Japan (major consumer, often dissident in CITES)
1. Tiger Products
2. Rhino horns
3. Ivory
4. Whales
5. Butterflies
6. Sea Turtles
7. Bluefin Tuna

Uses of species:

1. Tiger Products: Used in traditional Asian medicine
2. Rhino horns: Used in traditional Asian medicine, Middle-Eastern status symbol
3. Ivory: Decorative uses, Japanese status symbol
4. Whales: Traditional Japanese delicacy, historical food of some Native American tribes
5. Butterflies: Collections
6. Sea Turtles: Various crafted items, meat
7. Bluefin tuna: Not yet listed as endangered, but breeding grounds are being highly exploited for food: primarily by Japan
8. Birds, snakes, turtles, other rare species: Exotic pets, crafted items

Official Stance of Consumer states:

1. The United States:
1. Conservation: very active in using economic might to encourage negotiations head in the direction the US and US public want
2. Not afraid to act unilaterally if the need arises (through direct trade sanctions, etc). Ex. China and Tiger/Rhino products
3. Has domestic regulation and bans on many products
4. Whaling is authorized only to select Native American tribes which must demonstrate humane and sustainable use of the given population
5. Some individual citizens import protected species for collections, pets
2. China:
1. ‘Encouraged’ by US to enact many regulations
2. Often places human development over wildlife/ecological concerns

                                                     i.     Ex. Three Gorges Dam

3. Death penalty for killing a Panda
4. Traditional medicine has been hard to suppress
2. Japan:
1. Sustainable Use: Exploit all resources in a sustainable manner.

                                                     i.     Independent studies show that the Japanese are not necessarily sustainable in their use of all resources (Whales in particular)

2. Not afraid to take Reservations and exploit loopholes

                                                     i.     Sea Turtles

                                                      ii.     Whaling

1.     “Scientific killings” (but whaling is carried out as part of the fishing industry)

2.     Hunt in Southern Whale Sanctuary (strictly off limits to commercial whaling)

                                                        iii.     Government-licensed Ivory Craftsmen

3. Actively lobbies for trade of many regulated products
4. One in ten adult men is a serious butterfly collector
5. The Japanese are loath to give up any sovereign rights, or give up traditions

CITES

• CITES has brought attention to the issues and encouraged regulations and treaties

• Limited Enforcement capabilities

• Allows Reservations (this severely cripples ability to truly eradicate the problem)

• Need more action from individual states acting unilaterally to prevent trade (i.e. the US)

• Must have access to more powerful modes of enforcement and punishment

            • i.e. Sanctions of valuable resources

IWC

• Eliminated whaling in all but a few nations

• Many populations are showing signs of growth and improvement

• Shares many of the same problems as CITES, but has been more successful in

  executing its agenda