ML20150C326
| ML20150C326 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 05000463, 05000464 |
| Issue date: | 11/14/1978 |
| From: | Wickstrom B LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF LANCASTER COUNTY, PA |
| To: | Kirslis S NRC OFFICE OF STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7811220172 | |
| Download: ML20150C326 (9) | |
Text
P M s :
LWUS l
- --,s flay 1978 T ,
Af1PLIFICATI0tl 0F NATIONAL ENERGY _ .-
- POSITION l El'CRGY GRO'.'ITH RATE j The League supports a "significant and progreceive reduction in the nation !,4 grw th rate."
If the necessary steps are taken, the United States can and shou I l
reach an annual energy growth rate slightly more than 2% by 1985 and sig (Note: Long-term U.S. energy less than 2% by 2000 in an orderly, gradual way.
rate averaged 3.1% while the growth rate has averaged 3.5% annually; the 1950-59 1960-73 rate averaged over 4.0%.) !
ENERGY SOURCE filX d
" Top priority to conservation" means that conservation of energy--usin t gy.
using it more efficiently--should be the keystone of U.S. national energy s Energy conservation can extend the use of present non-renewable lly res time for additional development of renewable resources and other environm benign sources and technologies.
" Top priority to reneuable resourcea, especially actar heating andl version and tyind," means that the League supports federal policies and progr l t f that would make them more market competitive and expand their beyond use to supp i conventional sources in the transition period and move them to major sources 2000.
In addition, some of these technologies permit decentralized production, f providing alternatives to large, central systems. l In assig')ing " top priority to the environmentally cound use of coat," the i il and gas recornize that U.S. coal reserves are far more abundant ld therefore than do reserves, the fuels that dominate our current energy mix, and shou i
he increasingly utilized with the strong caveat that federal standards a N 1122 O/7e w
{'
i Page 2
,metables protecting the environment should not be relaxed. Technologies should be develcped and utilized that promote the extraction, conversion, transportation and use of coal in a way not damaging to the environment.
f " Dependence on imported energy sourcea must be reduced" reflects League concern f
about the continuing rise in energy impot ts, particularly oil, and the resulting U.S. vulnerability to supply cut-offs and balance of payme s problems. The League does not nonerally support such limiting policies as quotas d tariffs, though it I
does recognize that the current world pricing situation results from a cartel situation rather than free market forces.
The Leagoe believes that domestic pricing policies should reflect the actuul price of imported sources and that this policy would lead to reduced imports. Reduced consumption, increased use of renewable sources and coal will also bring about greater independence of foreign supplies. Obligations undertaken by the United States under the Int.rrnational Energy Program to reduce demand for imported oil 3
should be an integral part of the U.S. energy policy.
" Reliance on domeetic oil and natural gas should not be increased" reflects Leagues recognition that domestic reserves are finite and that there must be a shift away from predominant reliance on them. But the League is not opposed, per se, to in-creased exploration for and production of domestic oil and gas. Federal policy l 1
actions should encourage industries and utilities to convert from oil and gas to 4
coal and other more abundant fuels, promote increased efficiency in the use of oil and gas, and lead toward reserving these fuels for uses in which they have the maximum value and for which there are presently no substitutes.
1
. The League " opposes increased rcIfance on nucIcar fission" but recognizes its place in the nation's energy mix. This does not mean that the League is opposed to the L . ,. _ ,__
, y
g Page 3 l
.- I l
struction of all new nuclear light water reactors but that nuclear fission's pre- i l
sent proportionate share in the mix is the maximum use of this energy source which :
is acceptable. Future government nuclear priority should be in the direction of fusion and away from the plutonium breeder reactor.
/
Decisions among various energy sources should be guided by certain additional cri-teria:
- 1. Choices should be consistent with an integrated, balanced national strategy for f optimum source mix.
- 2. Betwebn now and 2000 preferred alternatives e.g. conservation, renewable re-sources and the enviror, mentally sound use of coal, must be fully considered be-Least prefer-fore turning to domestic oil and gas or to light water reactors.
able alternative is use of imported oil or gas.
- 3. flaximum utilization should be made of indigenous sources, such as geothermal, wind and hydroelectric.
- 4. Environmental protection is a primary consideration.
- 5. Economic consequences must be taken into account,.with particular concern for inpact on employment and on low-income population.- ,
FEDERAL POLICIES AND REGtlLATORY ACTIO!!S i Achieving an optimum mix of energy sources requires immediate initiation of policy and regulatory actions that will effect progressive changes in production and use durino the transition period and make possible councrcialization beyond the year 2000. l In more specific terms the League supports:
[] Increased federal research and development funding for renewable resources and for conservation research, development and demonstration.
) 1
'. N Page 4 ,
I
\
[] Financial incentives to business, industry and individual consumers to promote conservation investments such as tax credits for insulation expenditures and energy-efficient technologies.
[] Tax incentives to business, industry and individual consumers to promote the use of renewable resources such as tax credits for insulation of solar heating.
and cooling, solar hot water heating and solar electric.
[] Conversion and investment credits for businesses and industries to encourage a switch from oil and gas to coal and renewable resources.
l
[] Tax disincentives or penalties to business, industry and individual consumers :
to discourage consumption, such as increasing taxes on gasoline and a tax on gas i
guzzlers.
t [] Gradual decontrol of oil and gas prices to encourage conservation and the shift to renewable sources and coal with accompanying tax measures to recoup any re-sulting windfall profits.
t
[] flandatory energy conservation measures including thermal efficiency standards for buildings, efficiency standards for major new appliances, mileage standards for new automobiles with no relaxation of auto emission control standards.
[] Redesign of utility rate structures to reduce energy demand and minimize the need for new generating capacity by such techniques as marginal cost or peak load pricing concepts.
[]Publiceducationthatprovidesabasicunderstandingofwhatenergyis,whatit l i
does and the social, economic and envlionmental costs and benefits associated with its production and use. ;
l 1
l 6
, y 4
y . .
T t of Position on Ene [
l
- as announced by the flational Board March 9,1978 1
i The League of 14 omen Voters of the United States believes that the United States cannot and should'not sustain its historical rate of energy consum,, tion. Not ,
l only as a responsible member of the world community but also in the national i I
interest, the United States must make a significant and progressive reduction in Its energy growth rate. To achieve this goal, the nation must develop and im-plement energy strategies that--while taking account of differences in the needs and resources of states and regions--give precedence to the national good.
Between now and the year 2000, while arriving at long-term energy strategies, the United States should develop and use.a mix of energy sources based on the following policies:
8 Top priority must be given to conservation; renewabib resources, espec1511y i solar heating and cooling, bloconversion and wind; and the environmentally sound use of coal. .
/J Dependence on imported energy supplies must be reduced.
/J Because finite supplies of domestic oil and natural gas must be conserved, reliance on these sources should not be increased.
/J Reliance on nuclear fission (light water reactors) should not be increased.
Special attention must be given to solving waste disposal and other health and safety problems associated with this energy source.
i Beyond the year 2000, the United States should rely predominantly on renewable l resources. To make this change possible, the federal government should:
t
. . . .. . .. g . e . . ....e r , t . .
]
~ -
.l a -
II 8 give top. priority to conservation and to the development and use of solar :l
/ heating and cooling, solar electricity and bioconversion; :
8 emphasize energy-efficient technologies, especially cogeneration and district l heating; 6 Support the development of fusion and geothermal energy; 4
8 give extremely low priority to the plutonium breeder reactor.
To achieve a reduced energy growth rate and the optimum mix of sources and [
technologies, the federal government should:
S use research and development funds, tax incentives and loan guarantees to encourage business, industry and individual consumers to ' conserve energy and to shif t toward the development and use of renewable resources.
8 use tax disincentives to promote energy conservation and, in the case of individual consumers, to foster the use of renewable resources.
i L7 gradually deregulate oil and natural gas prices and at the same time tax i
windfall profits attributable to deregulation; L7 set mandatory standards for energy conservation.
federal standards end compliance timetables that protect the environment should not be relaxed in pursuit of national energy goals.
I In developing national energy strategies, the federal government should spread costs and benefits (environmental, social, economic, health) as equitably as possible.
In keeping with this criterion, states and regions should take steps to maximize conservation and to utilize their indigenous, renewable resources.
There should be assistance for low-income individuals, when changes would bear unduly on the poor.
In the distribution of roles and responsibilities, the following principles
-should apply:
'L7 The processes used to develop and implement national energy stratentes should give a voice to all levels ,ofjovernmen2.
- 3 1 i
_/ The federal government should set national standards to reach policy object vas.
L States may set more stringent standards, within the context of national f
policy. Implementation and enforcement of national standards should be C l,/
primarily at the state level.
' B states and re9iens should cooperate with each other and with the federal government to achieve national energy goals. l
/J Public understanding and cooperation are essential to the success of any national energy strategy. Citizen participation in decision making must be assured at every governmental level. k L
t
- 1 1
o
- --~--~ - - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
,, F0nMAT & 'lUESTTC?]S LW GT"GL M" TING 11/21/78 The Tnergy Cen=1ttee has acided that in order to allow five panelista edeounto opportunity to expresa their expert viewpoints and provide a quert$en nnd ancwer period within the total teeting tire period of two nnd one heir hours, we will ernfine our nueetiono to thrna ganarni enas.
Wi thin each one, ench pnrtici:wnt le free to cpeak to whatever ern e or pcinte ha nr she feel e are coet important. Thouch perhnpc su ch a pre-contation wor't E ive as nuch opportunity for exchanFe and chn11ence of oponcinc viewc as under n different type of fermat, we believe there will be freedom for your preferred ecphacep tice to hear yNr informatirn.
Thera will ba e tire limit of 5 minutes per percon for ench pracenta-tien. Uo will revorne the order in which we call on panel tenbero co that each Froup hne rena chance for con =en t on previ ous recarke.
There will be u !,' b bonLeagueenarEystud;, and pocition.in M wa with to focuo on Ibilndolphi" Tlectric end the Fbiton Flant cite but to cat the local ritunt'on into the larger national pi tureof nuclear prwar. Two chnrtn ord 3 r v a vill be briefly alluded t er thic purpose.
I:'"3CDU CTIM OF 1.J.TLISTS/SFT.il:TR3 Each participnnt will be introduced with a brief biographicol oketch.
s D73TIO::S I. Do you foal nucienr power in a desirable energy e nu r ce ? (25 min.)
(Soma of the fnetors we aseuce you would went to bring out here wculd be : econocic cocte , coets aerociated with health
& safety , fencibility vs. other recourcer etc. )
- Will en11 on utilities raprecentatives first on this, then environ-centalirta vnd UEC repreaentative.
o II. ira "i n r a nucienr nowar r19nto needed in the Lan enctar area? (25 min.)
(Sone factere here would bo: generating capncity, utility rate ctructure, lend tine for plante , altarnstives to build-inq more pinnta ate.)
- Will en11 on environment 911etc firat, then utilities & IJEC.
III. Whnt is tha rol a of poverncant , nrimarily the federal , in nuclear powar7
( Factora cuch ve funding for recearch & development, responsibility for cafety standards, regulation , eiting etc.)
- Will call on UHC firct , then alternate between utility rep. & en-environnentalist.
The nuestiono nandn't be con eidered mutually exclueive. There any well be placea th9t overing or nre more approprirte in a different placa thnn the brief aucrentienc wa h vc provided.
(suTSTIC:1 & !NS'.l?h INC D (?$ ninutes)
(DeFtionP froD,tha floor nddrPOSed to Specific P3rticipante)
ETMTICH THAT MATTRIl.1 S .4RT AVAILABLT ON T/iBLE I:, RCOM TRC -
VIDTD BY PARTI >CIPAMTS & TH.iT FE WELCet:TS VISITS TO T!!T FTACH BCTT02. SLaET INFORA.ATICK CS TTE.
f
6
- f l
^
qqc- & sp'. x y s n ,_ ,
~"A *, / ./76C3 ,
)
) t+sg ,y, ,, , y t4':t . )%.L..ak j%,du V S H /? (
k^ut'~jb,~,p( g, ggg dka.~ & . /feL&_, ,,
l} &na a. fJ ru-cn'-,~~(' td' Af&s-cc-me-, A ' y'nnu azs e <-w Cof[kg h g g4 j(,lt%Ma /kYC"' *#'"f heuA .- m , jam . 7n ~ a . , L a' y ~'
f,Z/k) & Etus n J'a.La-e.
$> &c-uw yawand- A ef" e
r nu .L tdi /A -yypnu % w u wtY
<c.ea ~
'L ' CD -M ,
u ., ..,'/'f le-s~ u n f }{ [ $ k j dc
-ep3yy;a,,
o,aut ta, 1
y, i a ,' u y ~tof7 o \
hwnc:s-,,-.ra.a 4~.9, , 4 Akry.wnaam s ,y, cuyo <,,
_ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -