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Keystone Center gets $100k to hold nuclear power discussion

DAILY NEWS STAFF REPORT

KEYSTONE ” The Keystone Center received a $100,000 grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts to support a joint fact-finding process focused on the risks and benefits of the future expansion of nuclear power in the United States.

“The need for more baseload electricity generation coupled with concerns about climate change and the high prices of oil and natural gas have prompted discussions about the possibility of expanding the role of nuclear power,” said Keystone Center president Peter Adler, Ph.D. “Before debating what role, if any, nuclear power should play in the future mix of energy sources, proponents and skeptics need to reach a common understanding about the state of the technologies and the costs, benefits and risks.”

Nearly 30 individuals representing public interest groups, the nuclear and utility industries, consumer and environmental advocates, large consumers, labor representatives, state and federal regulators, energy policymakers and the financial, research and academic communities, will participate in the project, which will include three plenary meetings and six workgroup meetings.



Through these meetings, The Keystone Center will facilitate discussions aimed at building a common understanding between proponents and skeptics of how nuclear technology has changed, the pros and cons of the technologies, and the costs, human health and safety impacts of nuclear generation and narrowing the gap between proponents and skeptics over these issues.

“With a common information base, expert stakeholders will be better able to discuss in the future the appropriate role of nuclear generation and what policies are needed to ensure that nuclear power is consistent with national energy and environmental goals, as well as stakeholder interests and values,” said Catherine Morris, director of The Keystone Center’s energy practice.



The project is expected to conclude in late 2006 with results available in early 2007. The Keystone Center is currently conducting an assessment to identify the scope of issues, the appropriate design of the fact-finding process and credible resources and experts.

The Keystone Center also was recently awarded a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for more than $500,000 to facilitate a dialogue on the role of marketing and advertising in the increasing problem of childhood obesity in the U.S.

The Keystone Center is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1975 to help facilitate cross-sector dialogues on pressing environment, energy, and public health issues. The Keystone Center does not take positions or advocate particular points of view. Instead, it brings stakeholders together and helps them build practical, consensus-based solutions that break old logjams or avert unnecessary future science and public policy battles.


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