Citizens Awareness Network

The past few years have seen numerous mishaps and deteriorating structural conditions at Vermont Yankee. An October quarterly report prepared for the Vermont Joint Fiscal Committee outlined Entergy’s slow progress toward developing action plans to address reliability issues. The report also identified contaminated underground piping seeping radioactive Cobalt-60 into the Connecticut River. Additionally, 2009 saw three separate radioactive leaks at Vermont Yankee.

While two new reports reveal that the renewable energy industry continues to grow in the United States. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s latest report, renewable energy accounted for 11.1 percent of U.S. production in April 2009, exceeding nuclear power at 10.7%. Contributing to the increase is the U.S. wind energy industry’s installation of 1,210 megawatts (MW) of new power capacity in the second quarter of 2009, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).

There are now 98 energy committees in Vermont working on projects that will lower Vermont’s energy usage dramatically – from replacing light bulbs to PACE programs that allow property owners to install solar PV and hotwater systems with no upfront cost. VCAN is working for Vermonters to make sure our concerns and vision are being represented, said Kathleen Kravetski, a nurse from Rutland and a VCAN supporter. VCAN continues its efforts to support legislation moving Vermont towards local, efficient and renewable solutions and closing Vermont Yankee in March 2012.

During the 2009 legislative session, VCAN and other citizen groups successfully fought for the Standard Offer bill that provides small renewable energy projects an incentive to build in Vermont. Also, for the second year in a row, VCAN helped to pass a strong decommissioning bill that would protect Vermont ratepayers from the exorbitant cost of cleaning up Vermont Yankee after it closes. Governor Jim Douglas again vetoed this bill.

All proceeds from the raffle will go to support VCAN’s 2010 efforts to close Vermont Yankee and pass strong, renewable energy legislation.

Tickets are $35 each. Buy as many chances as you want! Only 450 tickets will be sold. Ticket sales end January 30, 2010.

They can be purchased online at www.vtcitizen.org Greenfield Solar Store, 2 Fiske Ave, Greenfield, MA 413-772-3122 or call Chris WIlliams 802 767-9131 or Chad Simmons at 802.377.7403