By Michael Mariotte, NIRS Executive Director, January 28, 2010

If you were watching last night's State of the Union address, I'm sure you were as appalled as I was when President Obama suddenly spoke in support of "safe, clean nuclear power" (not to mention support for offshore oil drilling and "clean" coal).

Here, by the way, is the relevant text of Obama's comments last night:

"But to create more of these clean energy jobs, we need more production, more efficiency, more incentives. And that means building a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country. It means making tough decisions about opening new offshore areas for oil and gas development. It means continued investment in advanced biofuels and clean coal technologies. And, yes, it means passing a comprehensive energy and climate bill with incentives that will finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy in America."

Politically, Obama likely was simply parroting the effort being led by Sens. John Kerry, Joe Lieberman and Lindsay Graham to gain support for a climate bill by adding massive subsidies for nuclear power, offshore oil and "clean" coal. But recycling George W. Bush energy talking points is no way to solve the climate crisis or develop a sustainable energy policy.

Please tell President Obama that he's wrong: nuclear power is neither safe nor clean. Write President Obama here:

http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5502/p/dia/action/public/? action_KEY=1677

Indeed, Obama knows better. Candidate Obama understood that nuclear power is neither safe nor clean.

Watch this video taken early in his presidential campaign, in which he expresses concern for his daughters growing up in Chicago and surrounded by nuclear reactors.


Barack on Nuclear Energy

In this video, he says he is not a nuclear proponent and speaks out directly against taxpayer subsidies for nuclear power.

We learned just this morning that President Obama's FY 2011 DOE budget will triple the taxpayer loan guarantee program for new reactor construction, to $54 Billion.

The budget is not finalized and not yet submitted. A strong public outcry can still stop this outrage!

Send your letters to President Obama and Energy Secretary Chu here.

Here is a link to a Business Week article confirming the $54 billion figure.

It's not possible to make an inherently dangerous technology "safe," and President Obama should know better.

With radioactive tritium leaks at reactor sites across the country, radioactive waste stored in dry casks with nowhere to go, the ever-present risk of meltdown or terror attack, and sadly deficient new reactor designs, nuclear power remains dirty and dangerous, just as it always has been.

Thanks for all you do,

Michael Mariotte

Executive Director

Nuclear Information and Resource Service

nirsnet ät nirs.org

www.nirs.org