Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
Legislation that could could pave the way for construction of a new nuclear power plant in Iowa will go before the state Senate Commerce Committee on Thursday, just two days after a consumer research group called the idea “not worth the risk.”
The bill – Senate File 390 — would allow MidAmerican Energy Co. and its partners to recover costs associated with obtaining permits and licenses and to construct a proposed 540 megawatt nuclear power plant in an as-of-yet unspecified site. MidAmerican Energy officials have said customers would see their electric bills rise 10 percent over a decade to pay for the plant.
At a subcommittee hearing on the bill last week, MidAmerican CEO Bill Fehrman tried to soothe concerns about nuclear energy following the crisis that continues to unfold in Japan. And Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds voiced her support for expanding nuclear energy in Iowa, telling reporters earlier this month, “You need to do it in a systematic, thoughtful manner, but it’s a form of alternative energy that we need to look at to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.”
But a report released Tuesday by the Iowa Public Interest Research Group concluded that a history of safety problems at nuclear reactors in the U.S. illustrate that nuclear power carries with it risks that are simply not worth taking.
“Nuclear power is simply too risky – both financially and to our health”, said Sonia Ashe, an advocate with Iowa PIRG. “Even the best new technology, like the small nuclear plants under consideration by MidAmerican Energy, can’t control everything Mother Nature throws our way.”
Since 1979, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has rated 17 instances at domestic nuclear power plants as a “significant precursor” of core damage, meaning a dramatic increase in the risk of a serious accident.
Iowa PIRG is calling on legislators in the House and Senate to dismiss a proposal that would incentivize investment in nuclear power by passing the costs and the safety risks onto consumers. They are also encouraging the Obama administration to put a freeze on the construction of new nuclear reactors and to suspend re-licensing of the oldest plants in the country until all safety concerns have been addressed.
Nine Democratic state Senators have signed an open letter asking their colleagues to shelve the proposal, pointing to cost concerns and safety issues.
The Senate Commerce Committee will consider the bill Thursday at 10 a.m. in Room 22 of the Iowa Capitol.
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