SENATE BILL: Comprehensive Protection of Nuclear Power Act (Law'd)

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Comprehensive Protection of Nuclear Power Act

1. The Nuclear Safety Act of 2011 is hereby repealed and shall be moved to the Repealed Statute wiki page.

2. Before permission from the federal government, or granting of any federal funds toward the construction of a new nuclear power plant, a full and comprehensive environment safety evaluation must be made from geological surveyors.

3. Any area that has been deemed geologically unsafe may not have a nuclear power built on or near it.

4. All nuclear power plants in current operation must receive complete safety evaluation from regulators every four months (or roughly 120 days) and may not withhold any requested information from examiners.

5. Every existing nuclear power plant, as well as all nuclear power plants built in the future, must be fitted with a generator capable of producing power to the main portions of the facility for at least 72 hours in the event of catastrophic failure or natural disaster.

6. $2.5 billion shall be appropriated for the development of more advanced equipment capable of cleaning up and/or containing potential nuclear disasters, as well as safety equipment to prevent such disasters.

Sponsor: TJ in Cleve

[TJ in Wisco]

I am willing to sponsor this bill in Marokai's absence.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Senators have 48 hours to object to the assumption of sponsorship.


Since we have a new victim, they must post advocating for the bill in 24 hours or I will take my hack saw to this.

[TJ in Wisco]

I would like to amend this bill for the reason that a geological surveyor would not be qualified to conduct a comprehensive environmental safety evaluation. I also found some of the wording about 'federal funding' a little strange.

Comprehensive Protection of Nuclear Power Act

1. The Nuclear Safety Act of 2011 is hereby repealed and shall be moved to the Repealed Statute wiki page.

2. Before permission from the federal government, or granting of any federal funds toward the construction of a building permit for a new nuclear power plant may be obtained, a full and comprehensive environmental safety evaluation must be made from geological surveyors.

3. A geological survey must be included in the comprehensive environmental safety evaluation and any area that has been deemed geologically unsafe may not have a nuclear power built on or near it.

4. All nuclear power plants in current operation must receive complete safety evaluation from regulators every four months (or roughly 120 days) and may not withhold any requested information from examiners.

5. Every existing nuclear power plant, as well as all nuclear power plants built in the future, must be fitted with a generator capable of producing power to the main portions of the facility for at least 72 hours in the event of catastrophic failure or natural disaster.

6. $2.5 billion shall be appropriated for the development of more advanced equipment capable of cleaning up and/or containing potential nuclear disasters, as well as safety equipment to prevent such disasters.

I accept it as friendly

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Senators have 24 hours to object to the amendment from the honerable Senator.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The amendment has passed.

Final vote time? The 72 hours expired 10 minutes ago.

[shua]

There was a story about nuclear power recently. Anyone notice it?

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

There was a story about nuclear power recently. Anyone notice it?

Can you provide a link to that? I have not had the opportunity to see that, wherever it was.

[shua]

There was a story about nuclear power recently. Anyone notice it?

Can you provide a link to that? I have not had the opportunity to see that, wherever it was.

http://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=143807.msg3240153#msg3240153

[ilikeverin]

Should we define "geological safety" somehow?

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Short of dismantling an at risk plant, what could be done about a plant on or near a fault line, like the one in California?

[TJ in Wisco]

Should we define "geological safety" somehow?

I would think it should be clear enough that it is refering to being built on a major fault line that experiences earthquakes large enough to cause damage.

[TJ in Wisco]

Short of dismantling an at risk plant, what could be done about a plant on or near a fault line, like the one in California?

Requiring a back-up generator is probably the best we can do. Keep in mind the disaster in Japan was not caused by damage directly to the reactor but from a lack of power to the cooling tower pumps.

[ilikeverin]

Should we define "geological safety" somehow?

I would think it should be clear enough that it is refering to being built on a major fault line that experiences earthquakes large enough to cause damage.

But is that adequate?  For example, would that cover the New Madrid Seismic Zone?  What if something like the Charleston earthquake happened again?  I mean, technically, the Yellowstone Caldera is a big geologically unsafe thing, but it's nowhere near a fault zone.

[TJ in Wisco]

Should we define "geological safety" somehow?

I would think it should be clear enough that it is refering to being built on a major fault line that experiences earthquakes large enough to cause damage.

But is that adequate?  For example, would that cover the New Madrid Seismic Zone?  What if something like the Charleston earthquake happened again?  I mean, technically, the Yellowstone Caldera is a big geologically unsafe thing, but it's nowhere near a fault zone.

I don't think it makes sense for us to legislate whether specific fault lines are 'safe' for nuclear power plants to be built on; rather that ought to be left to the regulatory committee in conjuction with geologists. As far as the Yellowstone Caldera, I would sure hope a safety evaluation done by a geologist would consider such things.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

If Yellowstone goes, the biggest question will be whether any Americans are left alive to worry about potentially getting radiated by an exploding Nuclear power plant.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Are we finished here Senators? Sponsor?

[TJ in Wisco]

I believe we are ready for a vote.

[Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Senators, a final vote is now open on the Comprehensive Protection of Nuclear Power Act, please vote Aye, Nay, or Abstain.

[TJ in Wisco]

Aye

[IDS Legislator Alfred F. Jones]

Aye. It's always a good thing to protect the environment.

[pillage the village, trash the scene]

Aye.

[Senator Sbane]

Aye

[ilikeverin]

Yup

[Governor Scott]

Aye.