November 11, 2008 Meeting
MINUTES OF WNCPSR MEETING, NOVEMBER 11, 2008, UU CHURCH, ASHEVILLE, NC
PRESENT: Leah Karpen, Stan Dienst, Lew Patrie, Tim Takaro, Don Richardson and guests Barbara O'Neal from Erwin, TN, and Linda Modica from Jonesborough, TN, anti-nuke activists. They will be added to our email list.
Minutes of the October 21, 2008 meeting were approved as written.
Treasurer's Report: In absence of John, Lew avowed no big changes; Annual website fee due in Dec. Lew urged greater use of the website, to which Stan will add reprocessing info.
2. PROGRAM: Stan showed the updated version of "Kilowatt Ours" from 12:15 to 1:00 PM, which included significant updates.
3: PAST & FUTURE EVENTS:
• Oct. UNCA Hiroshima Exhibit ended with 25 students viewing "Dr. Strangelove."
• Dec. 4 - Public mtg in Graniteville, SC re DOE's draft EIS regarding reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. Tom Clements urges attendees to voice opposition (SRS is prime site for US’ high-level waste). For info on how to submit email or written comments: http://www.gnep.energy.gov/pdfs/GNEP_PEIS.pdf or http://www.gnep.energy.gov/peis/peisprocess.html
• Leah reports that Jim Lenberg & World Affairs Council board agreed to add a PSR program to be 4/6/09, (date confirmed after the meeting) to show "Beyond War" & "Nuclear Weapons & the Human Future," followed by discussion period; we unanimously endorsed this.
4. ACTION ITEMS:
• Leah will host annual Holiday Potluck Party on December 16, featuring Paul J. Magnarella, Chair, WW College Peace Studies, who will give a power point presentation referencing his "Attempts to Reduce & Eliminate Nuclear Weapons through the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty & the Creation of Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zones." Come to Leah’s home at 400 Charlotte St. #803 with dish & significant other at 6:00 PM. RSVP if coming to 254-5489 or lrkarpen@bellsouth.net. Please park in unmarked spaces or on the street. Some gluten free food would be appreciated.
• The Alliance for NC SAVE$ is working for a Green Energy Economy in NC (Richard Fireman) asked for an endorsement from WNCPSR, to which we all agreed. See Addendum I
• Ira Shorr of National PSR suggested we meet with Heath Shuler & Senators Burr & Sen. Elect Kay Hagan on our issues. Ira will provide information packets to Lew. Don will arrange meeting with Shuler's Asheville office in hopes Shuler will be available after the holidays, ideally early January, and has put in a request to Hagan's website for information about a site and time for a meeting. Lew will contact Burr's Asheville office.
• Tues., Nov. 25 CSNC will meet with Asheville City Council re "An Ordinance To Prohibit the
Transport of High-level Nuclear Waste Within the City Limits". Several of us agreed to give 3 minute presentations at the 5 PM at the AVL City Hall mtg. See Addendum II
• Leah announced a Nov. 17 meeting at All Souls 7-9 PM, title "Sowing Peace in the Middle
East", featuring Ymani Simmons & Jim Fine, who is Legislative Secretary for Foreign
Policy of the Friends Committee on National Legislation. Ymani works with No More Victims.
Meeting adjourned: 2:10 PM. Next meeting is the December 16 Pot Luck, See Above.
Don Richardson, Badly Acting Secretary, to whom we are indebted
Addendum I:
From Richard Fireman - requesting WNCPSR to endorse NC SAVES, working for a N.C. green energy economy.
Officially called the Alliance for NC SAVE$, several of this group are official interveners in the docket before the NC Utilities Commission (City of Durham, NC Justice Center, North Carolina Council of Churches, NC Fair Share, Clean Water for NC, NC WARN)
Alliance for NC SAVE$ - Organizational/Business Statement of Endorsement
We the undersigned organization/business are pleased to endorse the NC SAVE$ program in order to bring about genuine and substantial energy efficiency in North Carolina.
We believe that such an independently administered (non-utility) program, as has proven successful in other states, represents the best way to conserve energy, stimulate new job growth, save money on energy bills and reduce greenhouse gases and other harmful emissions across North Carolina.
Therefore, as articulated by the Alliance for NC SAVE$ in its initial legal motion, we agree that criteria for efficiency program selection should include considerations of:
a. impact on electricity usage and demand
b. benefits to low- and moderate-income households
c. household comfort levels, improved health and protection against weather extremes for vulnerable populations
d. cost effectiveness
e. reducing utility bills
f. creating new “green jobs” in new energy sectors for working families
g. transparent and credible measurement and verification procedures
h. geographic distribution
We agree as Endorsers, to promote NC SAVE$ in order to help gain approval by the NC Utilities Commission and, if necessary, the NC General Assembly.
__ I agree to allow my organization’s name to be listed as an endorser of NC SAVE$ on the NCSavesEnergy.org website and in other materials prepared by the Alliance for NC SAVE$.
Business or organization name: ________________________________________
Authorized signature and printed name: ________________________________
Title: ___________________________
DATE: ____________________
Addendum II: AN ORDINANCE TO PROHIBIT THE TRANSPORTATION OF HIGH-LEVEL NUCLEAR WASTE WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS
Summary: Prohibits the transportation of high-level nuclear waste within the City limits and provides for other related matters.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ASHEVILLE
Section XXX: That Article XXX of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Asheville, be amended by adding a section, to be numbered XXX, which said section reads as follows:
XXX: For purposes of this Chapter, the following terms have the meanings ascribed to them:
“Spent nuclear fuel” means any enriched uranium or mixed oxide fuel that has been withdrawn from a nuclear reactor following irradiation, the constituent elements of which have not been separated by reprocessing.
“High-level nuclear waste” means highly radioactive material:
(A) That results from the reprocessing of radioactive spent nuclear fuel; or
(B) That the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, consistent with existing law, determines by rule requires permanent isolation.
XXX: It is unlawful for any person to possess or to transport, within or through the corporate boundaries of the City, any spent nuclear fuel or high-level nuclear waste.
XXX: If any section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause, or phrase in this ordinance or any part thereof, is for any reason held to be unconstitutional, or invalid or ineffective by any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity or effectiveness of the remaining portions of this ordinance or any part thereof. The City Council of the City of Asheville hereby declares that it would have passed each section, subsection, subdivision, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase thereof irrespective of that fact that any one or more sections, subsections, subdivisions, paragraphs, sentences, clauses or phrases be declared unconstitutional, invalid or ineffective.
XXX: Whenever in this ordinance any act is prohibited or is made or declared to be unlawful or an offense or a misdemeanor, or whenever in this ordinance the doing of any act is required or the failure to do any act is made or declared to be unlawful or an offense or a misdemeanor, the doing of such prohibited act or the failure to do any such required act shall constitute a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more that $1,000.00 or by imprisonment for a term of not more than sixty days, or by any combination of such fine and imprisonment. Any day of any violation of this ordinance shall constitute a separate offense.
XXX: All ordinances or parts of ordinances or sections, subsections, phrases, sentences, clauses or paragraphs contained in the Municipal Code of the City of Asheville, in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.
Read, approved and adopted this ___ day of _________, 2008.
City Clerk____________________________________
Mayor___________________________
Approved As to Form____________________________
City Attorney__________________
