NUCLEAR FREEDOM

The New York Post ^ | April 18, 2002 | WILLIAM TUCKER

[Willie Green]

WITHIN 90 days, Congress will vote on whether to proceed with a permanent storage site for nuclear waste on Yucca Mountain in Nevada. The vote became necessary on April 8, when Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn vetoed the project.

Congress can override the veto by simple majorities in both houses. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle has vowed to defeat the proposal, but all sides agree the vote will be breathlessly close.

[Willie Green]

Well, Mr. Tucker is on the right track.
Although significant challenges remain for practical implementation of hydrogen-fueled automobiles.

A more practical solution with technology that is available NOW would be to construct modern, efficient, electricly-powered mass-transportation systems in our nation's most densely populated regions and urban areas.

What is High Speed Ground Transportation?

High-speed ground transportation (HSGT)-- a family of technologies ranging from upgraded existing railroads to magnetically levitated vehicles-- is a passenger transportation option that can best link cities lying about 100-500 miles apart. Common in Europe ( http://mercurio.iet.unipi.it/home.htm) and Japan (http://www.japanrail.com),HSGT in the United States already exists in the Northeast Corridor (http://www.amtrak.com/news/pr/atk9936.html) between New York and Washington, D.C. and will soon serve travelers between New York and Boston. 

HSGT is self-guided intercity passenger ground transportation that is time competitive with air and/or auto on a door-to-door basis for trips in the approximate range of 100 to 500 miles. This is market-based, not a speed based definition. It recognizes that the opportunities and requirements for HSGT differ markedly among different pairs of cities. High-speed ground transportation (HSGT) is a family of technologies ranging from upgraded steel-wheel-on-rail railroads to magnetically levitated vehicles.

The Federal Railroad Administration has designated a variety of high density transportation corridors within our nation for development of HSGT:

.

For more information, please visit the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA’s) High Speed Ground Transportation Website

[Willie Green]

Freedom bump!!!

[afraidfortherepublic]

Bookmark bump! We must reinstate the breeder reactor program, as well as open Yucca Mountain, as the basis of full energy freedom.

[skytoo]

In the ANWR debate, it is often suggested that the wishes of Alaskans should be honored. Shouldn't that argument also be applied to the Yucca Mt. debate, which would require us to honor the wishes of the majority in Nevada who do not want the dump?

[biblewonk]

Although no one has talked about it much, our ability to deal with a free hand in the Middle East is riding on the outcome.

Pure Barbra Striesand.

[biblewonk]

NO NUKES NO NUKES

[Willie Green]

In the ANWR debate, it is often suggested that the wishes of Alaskans should be honored.

National Security dictates rational proposals for achieving greater energy self-reiliance.

PETA's proposal for caribou voting rights doesn't fall into this category.

[Frohickey]

In the ANWR debate, it is often suggested that the wishes of Alaskans should be honored. Shouldn't that argument also be applied to the Yucca Mt. debate, which would require us to honor the wishes of the majority in Nevada who do not want the dump?

Yes.

Of course, there is a solution to this. Nevada can buy the federal land that the Feds want to dump the nuclear waste. Or, the Feds can pay Nevada in order to dump the nuclear waste. I bet a few billion dollars each year that the dump is operational would change a lot of Nevadan's minds.

Another would be to reinstate the program to purify and recycle nuclear waste into nuclear fuel rods would help cut down on the amount of waste as well.

[skytoo]

If your concern is national security it's interesting that you support crisscrossing the country with thousands of shipments of highly radioactive waste (I can see the terrorists now, salivating at this idea). Plus the plants themselves, as long as they are operating and generating more waste, will be a security risk, clearly demonstrated by the extra security they've been given since 9/11.

[Willie Green]

I'm confident of our capability of dealing with domestic eco-terrorists.
Energy self-reliance also reduces our involvement with foreign disputes.

[kaktuskid]

Coal converted to synthetic oil

[rmlew]

New York City has perhaps the most extensive mass transite system in teh country. WE still have millions of people who drive in daily. I'm sure that we could improve on mass transite extend subway and rail lines and build a few more ferry terminals. However, teh fact is that people like to drive.
They are also moving further away from the city and the mass transit system.

The truth is that Mass Transit is part of the solution, but only a small part.

Hydrogen-fueled automobiles are a solution. They and electric rail are all dependent on electricity. Nuclear energy is the best way to supply this.

[rmlew]

How mature.

Please explain how our dependence on oil does not restrict us in the Middle East.

Also, what alternative do you have to nukes?

[rmlew]

Please explain how coal firing plants, oil refineries, and other energy forms are not also possible targets.

I do agree that fission power is distasteful with all the waste. That is why I want a national program to create fusion reactors.

[skytoo]

One of the biggest complaints about wind and solar energy is that they are intermittent. Well, generating hydrogen fuel is a great way to get around this problem.

[skytoo]

All possible targets (and one of the weaknesses of our centralized power system), but not as leathal as nuclear.

[Willie Green]

I do agree that fission power is distasteful with all the waste. That is why I want a national program to create fusion reactors.

While I support fusion research, implementation is still decades off, at best.
As afraidfortherepublic alluded to earlier on this thread, the "waste" fuel is addressable by recycling through breeder reactors.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Nevada can buy the federal land that the Feds want to dump the nuclear waste. Or, the Feds can pay Nevada in order to dump the nuclear waste

You know that the taxpayers and ratepayers (us) have already paid billions $$$$ for this disposal site, don't you? And it sits empty while the waste lies in unprotected temporary storage. The waste is stable and not dangerous in its present form. What is dangerous is having it dispersed in dozens of different storage facilities, any one of which could be accessed by terrorists.

[afraidfortherepublic]

As afraidfortherepublic alluded to earlier on this thread, the "waste" fuel is addressable by recycling through breeder reactors.

Thank you, and a previous Democrat administration outlawed them. We need to reverse that policy.