PSR Wisconsin

All summer long!  In Wisconsin!  Jennifer Nordstrom, coordinator of the national Carbon-Free, Nuclear-Free Campaign, takes it on the road this summer to promote renewable power.   The Road Show is sponsored by IEER and the Carbon-Free, Nuclear-Free Wisconsin Coalition, a group of 13 state-wide groups promoting renewable sources of energy over nuclear power to solve global warming.   You can invite Jennifer to be a speaker at your group’s regular meeting, sponsor a town meeting or other public event.  She has a good slide show and will work with you to publicize the event.  Contact Jennifer at jennifer@ieer.org.  Let’s get this show on the road!

Friday, August 7, 7:00 to 9:00 pm in Madison at Tenney Park Shelter.  A family-friendly event commemorating the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, in 1945.  The event focuses on decorating lanterns that we set float in the Tenney Park Lagoon at dusk.  There will be refreshments, peace song sing-a-long, and opportunities to contact legislators regarding current nuclear weapons policies.  Co-sponsored by the UN Association-Dane County, Madison Area Peace Coalition, Veterans for Peace, and WNPJ.  For more information contact the PSR Wisconsin office at 608/232-9945.

Tuesday, July 14, from 7:30 to 9:00 pm in Madison at the Central Library (201 W. Mifflin, Rm 202).  A panel discussion connecting the work of stopping militarism, military spending and the struggle for universal, guaranteed healthcare for all.  Sponsored by the Madison Area Peace Coalition, for more information call 608/242-9232, or visit www.madpeace.org.

Thursday, May 21, 2009.“Investment in Nuclear Power over Efficiency and Renewable Energy Endangers Taxpayers, Ratepayers & Public Health”

A coalition of twelve Wisconsin groups submitted a letter to the Governor and State Legislators today asserting that the substantive problems of long-term storage of radioactive waste and astronomically high lifecycle costs make expanded nuclear power inadvisable for Wisconsin’s energy future. In a letter to Governor Doyle and State Legislators, Physicians for Social Responsibility Wisconsin and eleven other organizations show that the liabilities of nuclear power make it a risky investment, both to the public health and the public pocket book.

The letter states, “Unlike renewable electricity sources, the by-products of nuclear electricity generation exist in the environment for hundreds of thousands of years and are highly toxic.” In Wisconsin alone, 1,365 metric tons of high-level nuclear waste will be stored at nuclear reactor sites by 2011, and 58,000 metric tons have already accumulated at sites throughout the US. Current EPA standards require that the environment and public be kept safe from exposure to stored radioactive waste for up to one million years.

The letter also shows that the lifecycle costs of nuclear power and means by which plants are funded shift the financial risk from the nuclear industry to ratepayers and taxpayers. From the failed multi-billion dollar taxpayer investment in Yucca Mountain to ratepayer surcharges funding on-site storage of radioactive waste – all these costs and more are borne by the ratepayer and taxpayer, not the nuclear industry. The fifty –year old nuclear power industry can not even claim lower cost per kilowatt of delivered electricity, with costs higher than traditional coal and gas fired plants, and higher than wind power.

The coalition asserts that conservation and efficiency in all sectors of the economy are better investments for Wisconsin’s energy future. A fraction of the billions of dollars spent by government to support the nuclear industry would be a significant investment in improved public health if put to work on energy conservation, replacing polluting coal-fired plants with truly renewable power and investing in a “smart,” distributed electricity grid.

The letter was signed by Citizens Utility Board, Clean Wisconsin, Coulee Region Progressives, Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters, League of Women Voters of Wisconsin Education Fund, Nukewatch, Peace Action Wisconsin, Physicians for Social Responsibility Wisconsin, Sierra Club-John Muir Chapter, Wisconsin Environment, Wisconsin Network for Peace & Justice, WISPIRG

The letter is available at http://www.thewheelerreport.com/releases/May09/may21/0521physiciansletter.pdf.

PSR has developed a power point presentation for use in advocating for abolition of nuclear weapons.  For more information on the presentation, visit the PSR website, http://www.psr.org/site/DocServer/StepstoSafety.ppt?docID=8501.

Three dates of all day workshops addressing future energy demand and sourcing for the Midwest and Wisconsin.  Registration is required, and there is a fee for participation.  For more information and to register, visit  http://wpui.wisc.edu/.
June 5:  Renewables and Baseload in the Midwest

June 26: Fossil Fuels
July 31:  Nuclear Power - Status in the Midwest, featuring Dr. Arjun Makhijani

Tuesday, May 19, 7:00 pm, Peace Action office, Milwaukee.  Standing committee of Peace Action Wisconsin, meets monthly.  For more information, contact the Peace Action office at 414/964-5158.

August 7 to 9, 2009 from Camp Williams-Volk Field to Fort McCoy.  Walk to end the wars in Afganistan & Iraq, abolish nuclear weapons and ban depleted uranium munitions.  For more infomration contact Voices for Creative Nonviolence, 773/878-3815, info@vcnv.org or www.vcn.org.  Camping space is limited, but available.  Contact Nukewatch at 715/472-4185 for information about camping.

October 2 to 3, 2009.  Homeowners and businesses all across Wisconsin open their doors to let people see renewable energy installations.  Sponsored by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association.  For more information visit www.the-mrea.org.

Series of lectures and on-going coordination between the University of Wisconsin- Nelson Institute, the Wisc. Department of Natural Resources and other state departments and UW institutions.  The First meeting introducing the series is on February 26, 2009, on the UW-Madison campus.  For more information visit the Wisconsin Institute for Climate Change Impacts at http://wicci.wisc.edu.