Oppose Magwood nomination to NRC

Dear Friends,

Late last July, 100 environmental and clean energy organizations responded to media reports and wrote to President Obama urging him not to appoint William Magwood to become one of five Nuclear Regulatory Commissioners. You can read our letter here.

Unfortunately, Obama ignored this plea and appointed Magwood anyway.

One of your Senators sits on the Senate Environment Committee, which can approve or disapprove NRC nominees. Please write your Senator now and ask him/her to oppose the Magwood nomination.

The Senate has not yet confirmed Magwood, and his appointment has raised at least a few eyebrows.

It's not hard to see why. Magwood has been an unabashed promoter of nuclear power for decades. According to the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), "As head of  the Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Power, he helped lead the Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative, Nuclear Power 2010, and the Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems Initiative. He also served as the first chairman of the Generation IV International Forum and as chair of the Steering Committee on Nuclear Energy Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation.

More recently, he founded Advanced Energy Strategies which provides "expert advice and analysis of U.S. and international energy policy activities; nuclear industry developments and prospects; and supporting business development efforts." Mr. Magwood has also been an investor in and President of Secure Energy North America Corporation, a company that is 'working with industry and investors to develop novel approaches to finance new nuclear power stations in the United States.''"

For years, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has been plagued with Commissioners more interested in boosting the nuclear power industry than in meaningful regulatory oversight, even though the NRC is explicitly prohibited from nuclear promotion.

There is a real chance to stop this unwarranted nomination. Tell your Senator today that the NRC needs strong, public-minded regulators, not more nuclear cheerleaders.

And ask your friends and colleagues to take action too.

Thanks for all you do,

Michael Mariotte
Executive Director
Nuclear Information and Resource Service
[email protected]
www.nirs.org