Hello there!
We are fully in the Fall season. September was a busy month for us with plenty of traveling for conferences, in-person meetings, life transitions, and much more.
So let's dive in!
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Collective Updates & Announcements
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Our Retreat in D.C.
We met at the end of September in D.C. (with Ariel serving as the designated survivor this time) to plan for the last quarter of 2022 and 2023. A portion of our retreat included a discussion of a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2022 publication "Understanding the Societal Challenges Facing Nuclear Power: Proceedings of a Workshop."
Check out our "Collective Thoughts" 🙃 about the piece below (which also serves as the premiere of our newest feature)!
Understanding the Societal Challenges Facing Nuclear Power (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2022)
A written discussion of the piece from our entire staff! Read the full post here.
Good Energy in Action: The Global Clean Energy Action Forum in Pittsburgh
The forum, which ran Sept. 21-23, had something for everyone: We and other registrants squinted at our schedules to select from a smorgasbord of panels on clean energy technologies — including Good Energy's conversation on how to advance environmental justice across the nuclear energy lifecycle, co-hosted with the University of Michigan’s Fastest Path to Zero initiative and the Nuclear Energy Institute. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) talked about permitting reform to an early morning crowd, and several protesters momentarily held him accountable over his support for the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Behind the scenes, energy ministers discussed pressing global security issues and set up a fund intended to amplify international efforts to transition to clean energy through public-private partnerships.
On the Road: Tribal Clean Energy Summit
Image on the right: Courtesy of the Department of Energy.
On Oct. 4-5, Ariel attended the Tribal Clean Energy Summit in Washington, D.C., hosted by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Conference of State Legislatures. The summit focused on DOE’s efforts to center environmental justice, equitable access to clean energy technology, and community reinvestment through grants, loans, educational opportunities, and technical assistance. Summit speakers walked attendees through how the Inflation Reduction Act and the bipartisan Infrastructure Law will support tribes in clean energy development. Most notably, the DOE Loans Program Office (LPO) office, through the energy infrastructure reinvestment program, will support the repurposing of fossil fuel assets into clean, carbon-free technologies. This work will consist of the transformation of coal plants into small modular nuclear reactors, reuse of old mines for clean energy projects, and climate pollution reduction grants for tribes to partner with nonprofits to address pollution in their communities, including abandoned mine pollution. These new DOE programs will be crucial to address legacy uranium mine pollution and support new advanced nuclear projects at old coal-fired power plants on or near tribal communities.
Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy Update
In mid-September, Jackie represented Good Energy at the annual strategy retreat of the Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy, a network of nuclear policy organizations that have committed to improving gender and racial equity across all nuclear energy, security, disarmament, and nonproliferation sectors. We're so proud to have become a member of GCNP in July and to have pledged several actions to support inclusivity, visibility, and respect in and around our organization. We're so thankful to the Stanley Center for Peace and Security, the Nuclear Threat Initiative, and Ploughshares Fund for bringing our organizations together to learn from each other on how to be stronger allies and advocates for racial and gender parity and equity.
Good Energy in Action: NYC Climate Week
Colter also engaged with the broader movement during Climate Week 2022. At the Nest Climate Summit, Colter chatted with some folks about the use of advanced nuclear to decarbonize chemical production and the parallels between nuclear deployment and renewables. Some panel highlights included Community Offshore Wind, who hosted a panel on the importance of community engagement in the development of energy projects, and a main stage panel on climate justice, highlighting the critical ways in which sexism, racism, and colonialism have led to the climate crisis.
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NARUC Panel: Nuclear Provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act
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Jackie joined National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners for a panel discussion on how the Inflation Reduction Act will impact and provide new support for the nuclear industry. The panel was moderated by Tim Echols from the Georgia Public Service Commission, and the other panelists were Benton Arnett with the Nuclear Energy Institute, Jon-Michael Murray with the Clean Air Task Force.
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Comment Letters: Promote Sustainability, Protect Clean Water, and Support a Circular Economy
In August, we joined environmental justice, climate, tribal and other groups in comments to the Interagency Working Group on Mining Reform's Request for Information. We discussed proper mining waste disposal, bolstering reuse of critical minerals, and the need for a Just Transition. Check them out below!
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Call for Papers: Special Issue on Women in Nuclear Security
The International Journal for Nuclear Security (UNS) and the National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) Nuclear Security Women are soliciting papers on all aspects of nuclear security, nonproliferation, and adjacent fields. Interested contributors must submit an abstract of 500 words or less by Nov. 1, 2022.
Learn more here.
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DOE Announces $16 Million to Support Consent-Based Siting for Spent Nuclear Fuel
The funding will "provide resources to communities interested in learning more about consent-based siting, management of spent nuclear fuel, and interim storage facility siting considerations. Nuclear power plants that produce carbon-free, reliable power will be needed to meet President Biden’s emissions reduction and climate change goals."
Read the announcement and view the analysis, summary, and entirety of the submissions in response to their December 2021 Request for Information on this topic.
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Clean Energy Ministerial and DOE Release A First Wave Case Series: RISE3D
The new e-book features case studies of communities around the globe that are switching from coal to nuclear and/or renewable energy sources.
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Mark Your Calendars!
Nuclear Science Week (Oct. 17 - 21): "Nuclear Science Week is an international, broadly observed week-long celebration of all aspects of nuclear science. This year the event is hosted by the Nuclear Engineering & Radiological Sciences Department (NERS) at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan."
Jessica will be present and representing Good Energy. 👋 if you see her!
International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Power in the 21st Century (Oct. 26 - 28): "The conference is organized in partnership with the International Energy Agency and in cooperation with the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency. It is hosted by the Government of the United States of America through the Department of Energy...The conference will provide a forum for ministers, policymakers, senior officials, and experts to engage in high-level dialogue on the role of nuclear energy in the transition to clean energy sources and its contribution to sustainable development and climate change mitigation."
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Why Do Nuclear Power Plants Need Electricity to Stay Safe?
In Popular Science, Jessica explains why a source of electricity is crucial to the safe operation of nuclear power plants.
Read the article here.
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Coal to Nuclear is Smart Climate Policy?
Jessica discusses the many climate benefits of converting coal power plants to nuclear power plants with Roger Pielke, Jr. for his substack.
Listen to the program here.
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Tweet of the Month...
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Jessica Lovering, Executive Director/Co-Founder ⚫ Jackie Toth, Deputy Director ⚫ Michael Mouton, Communications Director ⚫ Ariel Gould, Environmental Policy Counsel ⚫ Khalil Ryan, Policy Analyst ⚫ Colter Schroer, Policy Analyst ⚫ Suzanne Baker, Co-Founder ⚫ Rachel Slaybaugh, Board Chair ⚫ Hafeezah Abdullah, Board Member ⚫ Erin Burns, Board Member ⚫ Kuhika Gupta, Board Member ⚫ Chantell Murphy, Board Member ⚫ Sagatom Saha, Board Member ⚫ Paul Wilson, Board Member ⚫
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Good Energy Collective is making the progressive case for nuclear energy in a just, climate-friendly future. We invite you to chip in if you can and share broadly with your networks.
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