Earth Equity News

'Nuclear Pork' Cut from Stimulus Compromise. ENS, February 12, 2009. "The Senate-House conference committee [in] reconciling the chambers' different versions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act... axed a proposal to include $50 billion in federal loan guarantees that could have been utilized by the nuclear and coal industries as well as for renewable energy projects. Called Title 17, the Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program, the provision would have put aside $50 billion to guarantee loans under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 for eligible projects, to remain available until committed. Last week, 243 environmental, consumer, and religious organizations and small businesses sent a joint letter to senators expressing their 'dismay and anger over the inclusion by the Senate Appropriations Committee of a provision in the economic stimulus bill to provide up to $50 billion in additional taxpayer loan guarantees that could be used for construction of new nuclear reactors and [so-called] clean coal plants.'"