Assemblyman DeVore Outlines Serious Need for Nuclear Power in UC Berkeley Publication
California Political Desk
April 15, 2008
Sacramento, Calif. – Assemblyman Chuck DeVore (R-Irvine) has found a voice in a most unlikely place – UC Berkley. The conservative lawmaker was featured in last week´s edition of Ecology Law Currents explaining the critical need for California to lift the ban on construction of modern, clean and safe nuclear power plants. The publication is produced by the UC Berkeley School of Law.
Legislation has prevented new construction of nuclear power plants in the state since 1976. However, after passage of Assembly Bill (AB) 32 in 2006, California is under intense pressure to minimize Carbon Dioxide emissions. Nuclear Power is the only way to meet the extreme demand of energy consumption without the direct emission of carbon dioxide.
According to DeVore´s article titled "Relative Risk: Global Warming and Imported Fossil Fuels vs. Nuclear Power," natural gas is California´s leading energy producer but produces high CO2 amounts and most of it is imported. Coal produces 51 percent of America´s power and 16 percent of California power, but is dirty, radioactive, and is thought to cause up to 30,000 deaths per year in the United States. Wind and solar have their role, but neither is suitable for baseload power as they are not reliable enough.
"Nuclear power plants are an efficient, safe, and non-carbon emitting way to meet California´s energy demands," says DeVore. The full article can be read at http://www.boalt.org/elq/C35.01_05_DeVore_2008.04.09.php.
Last week, Assembly Democrats killed two attempts by DeVore to bring nuclear power back to the state on a straight party-line vote. AB 2788, Energy Security would have allowed for an applicant to apply for a one time only exemption for a nuclear fission thermal power plant. AB 1776, the Energy Security and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act would have lifted the state´s 32-year ban on new nuclear power plant construction.
DeVore, who notes regularly that many applications for nuclear power plants are being processed in several other states, says he will bring these bills back up every year until California embraces the technology "because it´s the right thing to do."
Legislation has prevented new construction of nuclear power plants in the state since 1976. However, after passage of Assembly Bill (AB) 32 in 2006, California is under intense pressure to minimize Carbon Dioxide emissions. Nuclear Power is the only way to meet the extreme demand of energy consumption without the direct emission of carbon dioxide.
According to DeVore´s article titled "Relative Risk: Global Warming and Imported Fossil Fuels vs. Nuclear Power," natural gas is California´s leading energy producer but produces high CO2 amounts and most of it is imported. Coal produces 51 percent of America´s power and 16 percent of California power, but is dirty, radioactive, and is thought to cause up to 30,000 deaths per year in the United States. Wind and solar have their role, but neither is suitable for baseload power as they are not reliable enough.
"Nuclear power plants are an efficient, safe, and non-carbon emitting way to meet California´s energy demands," says DeVore. The full article can be read at http://www.boalt.org/elq/C35.01_05_DeVore_2008.04.09.php.
Last week, Assembly Democrats killed two attempts by DeVore to bring nuclear power back to the state on a straight party-line vote. AB 2788, Energy Security would have allowed for an applicant to apply for a one time only exemption for a nuclear fission thermal power plant. AB 1776, the Energy Security and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act would have lifted the state´s 32-year ban on new nuclear power plant construction.
DeVore, who notes regularly that many applications for nuclear power plants are being processed in several other states, says he will bring these bills back up every year until California embraces the technology "because it´s the right thing to do."
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