"A terrific and well-written look at what really happened in the Vermont Yankee debacle...” – Howard Dean, governor of Vermont, 1991-2003------------------------------------------------------------------------------Newswise — New book (publication date, March 21, 2012) – Public Meltdown: The Story of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant examines the debate between the federal government, Entergy and the state of Vermont in the case of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear power plant.
In 2010 Vermont legislators voted to shutter a nuclear power plant, putting the state at odds with the federal government and the plant’s owner—the Louisiana-based Entergy Corporation. Public Meltdown explores the debate that roiled Vermont, including the lawsuits and court action that followed.
In rich, well-researched detail, Dr. Watts tells a story that spotlights the role of state governments, citizens and activists in decisions about the nation’s aging nuclear power fleet. A story that continues today as both Entergy, the nation’s second largest nuclear operator, and the state of Vermont have appealed the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals.
Entergy Corporation Missteps & Opposition Reframing
The book details a series of missteps by the Louisiana-based Entergy Corporation which owns Vermont Yankee, from inadequate follow-up after one of the plant’s cooling towers collapsed to misleading statements to state regulators about tritium leaks from underground pipes.
The book also highlights the role of activists and plant opponents in re-framing the debate from one of jobs and low-priced electricity to a story of an aging nuclear plant run by an out-of-state and untrustworthy owner.
The book puts these two stories into the context of the debate about adding twenty years to the original 40-year nuclear plant licenses. Some 15 nuclear plants are presently requesting license renewals and another 17 are expected. Governments in states such as New York, California and Vermont are engaged in contesting these license renewals concerned about the role of states in overseeing the non-safety aspects of nuclear power plants within their state borders.
PUBLISHED MARCH 21, 2012 White River Press and the Center for Research on Vermont. ISBN: 978-1935052609(On March 21, 2012, Vermont Yankee’s original 40-year license expires). For more information see: www.publicmeltdown.org
PUBLIC EVENTMarch 21-7:30 p.m. University of Vermont Public Event-Billings North Lounge.Public Meltdown: The Story of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Plant Introductory remarks by William Sorrell, Attorney-General, State of Vermonthttp://www.uvm.edu/~crvt/
RICHARD A. WATTS, Ph.D. is an Assistant Research Professor at the University of Vermont in the Department of Community Development & Applied Economics. Dr. Watts has extensive experience in public policy and political campaigns, as a campaign manager, journalist and as a consultant to government agencies, business groups and non-profit organizations.
SOME REVIEWS
"Billions of dollars, a third of Vermont’s power, and high stakes legal fights; it’s a heady mix as Watts tells a compelling tale of how Entergy Nuclear Vermont went from “white knight” to “unwanted guest.”— Michael Dworkin, Professor of Law and Director, Institute for Energy and the Environment at Vermont Law School
"Through extensive research and interviews with many of the key players, Richard Watts not only explains what happened, but provides solid insights into why it happened. Public Meltdown is a well-written narrative of a drama-filled decade."--David Lochbaum, Director, Nuclear Safety Project, Union of Concerned Scientists
"Decisions Americans make about nuclear energy in this decade will affect our society for centuries. This book should be read by all who care about their communities and the health of the planet." --Jim Riccio, Nuclear Policy Analyst, Greenpeace
"We make electricity in America atop some of our deepest social and political fault lines: the federal/state divide, and competition vs. regulation. How the players in this nuclear plant's recent history interpreted the rumblings along those fault lines—or failed to—has made for a dramatic cautionary tale. Dr. Watts tells it fluidly and in compelling detail."--John Kassel, President, Conservation Law Foundation
"Based on very solid reporting, this is a good, fast read on how and why Entergy 'lost' Vermont..." — Steve Terry, former Vermont journalist and utility executive, co-founder of Worth Mountain Consulting in Middlebury, Vt.
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