Friends of the Earth Calls on Senate to heed the warning and reject misguided legislation
Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–January 23, 2012. A newly released memo from the staff of the Iowa Utilities Board has provided a stinging economic critique of legislation passed by the Iowa House in 2011 which would make ratepayers liable for massive utility costs and cost overruns from building new nuclear power plants.
Friends of the Earth campaigner Mike Carberry has said that the memo confirms the June 2011 decision by the Iowa Senate not to pass the law and has called on the legislative body to stand its ground against efforts by MidAmerican Energy to foist the costs on working people around Iowa.
“The memo makes it clear that this bill would inappropriately shift the economic risk of building new nuclear power plants to people across the state,” said Mike Carberry of Friends of the Earth. “Financial experts around the world are saying that nuclear power is a bad investment, so why would folks across Iowa foot the bill? If MidAmerican Energy thinks investing billions in this dirty, dangerous and costly technology is such a great idea, then why don’t they put up the money in the first place?”
Friends of the Earth is urging Iowans to call their State Senators to urge them to reject any effort to bring the nuclear bailout legislation, HF 561, up for a vote this year. The organization recently ran radio ads calling attention to the legislation’s flaws.
Iowans can make their voices heard and contact their lawmakers on this issue by calling a statewide toll-free connection to the State Senate at 1-800-480-4075.
Source: foe.org
