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A group of concerned citizens has asked me to present their position and concerns about the proposed Exelon nuclear facility planned for Victoria County.

The Victoria Economic Development Committee planned a closed meeting, invitation only, to have Patrick Moore speak on the proposed nuclear facility planned for Victoria County.

The “chosen” invitees will undoubtedly hear from Moore about the wonderful world of nuclear energy. Moore was aligned with Greenpeace for years and fought nuclear power but now extols its advantages. Since this was a “closed meeting,” likely there was no hard questions.

This is but yet another example of being spoon fed the opinions of the few as fact.

Certain vested interests in Victoria County have been openly supporting the nuclear project. They loudly proclaim the economic windfall it will bring to the county without considering the negative impact that will surely follow.

Moore appears to be credentialed. He holds himself out as a founder of Greenpeace, a matter of some dispute. His opinions have been challenged both from a technical as well as practical application. The meeting was a “closed meeting,” and the address was scripted. He is retained by the nuclear industry as a spokesman and as such does not address the issues important to a community that will be affected by such a facility.

There are many questions that have yet to be asked. How will the infrastructure of the county be affected? What will be required in the way of schools, fire protection, police protection and other basic services? Will tax abatements be given? Is the science and design of this particular facility sound? How will the project affect the water supply for municipal use, recreation as well as fishing and agriculture? Will the project produce jobs, or will the various subcontractors import the needed labor; and which is cheaper? What will be done with the radioactive waste? There has not been a nuclear facility built in the United States in about 30 years, and much of the design, engineering and fabrication will be foreign manufactured without the quality control of domestic labor, design and manufacture. A nuclear facility poses a security risk to the community. It is well established that terrorists would target such facilities and the City of Victoria is directly down wind from this proposed facility.

Experience in other areas, such as the South Texas Nuclear Project in Matagorda, has shown that the local labor force, tax and economy does not benefit to the extent promised because most of the labor is imported, and, when the project is completed, a majority of the labor force leaves the community, and the tax base is dramatically affected.

All of these and many more questions need to be asked and answered before the citizens of Victoria blindly accept what they are told by economic vested interests.

These people do not speak for the majority of the citizens of Victoria County, and they should not represent that they do.

There needs to be frank and open discussions, regarding both the environmental and economic impact on the community. Concerned citizens should be given the opportunity to participate in the discussions. Victoria County is moving at a record pace.

Let’s have open and honest discussion before we accept a project that will affect not only our lives, but the lives of our children’s children and their children.

In the immediate future there will be public forums announced where all citizens of Victoria County will be invited to participate and ask questions. This forum will not be a “closed meeting,” and representatives of both Exelon as well as local supporters will be invited to debate these issues. If Mr. Moore wishes to attend, he will be invited.

If you have additional questions about Patrick Moore, or Exelon, or nuclear power in general, contact one of the following:

Allison Fisher, public citizen, 202-454-5176; cell, 704-604-3750. Peter Bradford, former director for the NRC, 802-236-4072; Cyrus Reed, conservation director of the Lone Star Sierra Club, 512-447-1729; Arjun Makhijair, Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, 301-270-5500; Paul Gunther, NIRS, 301-523-0201; Jim Riccio, Greenpeace, 202-319-2487; Karen Hadden, Seed Coalition, 512-797-8481; and Tom “Smitty” Smith, Public Citizen, 512-477-1155.

 

Sandra L. McKenzie is an attorney with the McKenzie Law Firm of Victoria.