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Updated: Anti-nuke activist arrested at nuclear plant meeting
The Glenns Ferry Opera Theatre was filled nearly to capacity on the evening of June 16 as Elmore County citizens gathered for an informational meeting hosted by Idaho Energy Complex (IEC).
The company, which had originally sought to build a 1,600 megawatt nuclear power plant in Owyhee County, has now set its sights on a 1,400-acre piece of land outside of Hammett. The meeting was conducted to provide citizens information about the plant , and nuclear industry, and serve as a question and answer forum.
Don Gillispie, president and CEO of Idaho Energy Complex, presented the program. He focused largely on dispelling myths about nuclear generation.
The Elmore County site is located off Goldsmith Road about a mile from the home of Nancy and Jeff Blanksma. Mrs. Blanksma said she does not want a nuclear power plant as a "neighbor." She also expressed concern about the noise and air pollution that will be created from nearly 5,000 employees accessing the site during its construction.
The meeting was well underway when an Elmore County Deputy approached Twin Falls Podiatrist and anti-nuclear activist Peter Rickards. Just prior to the start of the meeting, Rickards had been distributing flyers to citizens entering the building. Immediately, an outburst exploded from several members of the audience and heightened in intensity as Rickards was handcuffed and escorted from the building, accompanied by members of the IEC staff.
According to a statement received by the Sheriffšs Department, Mr. Rickards was distributing flyers inside the theater when he was asked by theater owner, Rich Wills, to move outside the building.
Rickards complied with Wills' request, but allegedly reentered the premises and persisted in distributing the flyers. It is alleged that Wills was asked him two additional times to go outside, but Rickards refused to do so.
An IEC staff member alleges that Rickards phyically pushed him while trying to gain access to the meeting.
Wills issued a complaint against Rickards that resulted in his being cited
for trespassing. The staff member, Doug McConnaughey, also registered a
complaint against Rickard, and he was cited for battery.
As Rickards was handcuffed and escorted from the assembly, several people began shouting at the officer and Gillispie, demanding to know why he was being arrested.
Gillispie replied, "I donšt know."
Attempts by a IEC staffer to regain order were unsuccessful as the angry group taunted Gillispie. At least one protestor challenged Gillispie to have her arrested.
After several intense minutes, Glenns Ferry Mayor JoAnne Lanham rose from her seat, faced the angry group and exclaimed, "I'm" the mayor of this town, sit down."
That finally quelled the outburst.
Lanham later told the Gazette that the disruption wasted precious time.
"Most of the people where there to protest," she said.
She indicated that the disruption prevented Gillispie from disseminating important information that would have helped her make a decision on whether or not to support the project.
In a subsequent news release issued by IEC on June 11, a company spokesman wrote, "We regret the unfortunate behavior of one audience member Monday night in Glenns Ferry and we do want to apologize to the citizens of Elmore County for any disruption he caused."
Rickert denies having pushed anyone.
The meeting continued, but the incident had emotions running high. During the course of the meeting, a few people lashed out at Gillispie.
Mountain Home resident Maureen Cox told Gillispie that her father died of cancer after working many years at the Hanford Nuclear Reserve in Washington. Her mother also died from cancer.
However, Gillispiešs claim regarding the safety of modern nuclear power plants was supported in a National Cancer Institute study published in the March 20, 1991, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The study "showed no general increased risk of death from cancer for people living in 107 U.S. counties containing or closely adjacent to 62 nuclear facilities."
A registered nurse, Cox also took exception to Gillispiešs comment that more people have died as a result of mistakes made by the medical staff then as a result of working at or near a nuclear power plant.
"I'm a registered nurse," yelled Cox, "and I've never killed anyone."
But the possibility of radioactive emissions issuing from a reactor is not the only cause for concern. A Hammett resident expressed concern about the safe disposal of waste materials, citing the failure of the federal government to conclude the promised cleanup of radioactive materials from the Idaho National Laboratory.
Gillispie noted that advancements in nuclear technology has reduced the risk of radioactive contamination. He explained that reprocessing spent fuel rods, which contain 95 percent of their potential energy after the first cycle, will greatly reduce the radioactive wastes. The technology is being done successfully in countries such as France, which derives 75 percent of its electricity from nuclear power, he noted.
Another county resident asked who would benefit from the sale of power generated at the plant. Gillispie said that Idaho would "get the first crack" at purchasing energy from the facility. However, he also noted that other states would be bidding on the power.
The plant is investor-owned and financed, and the return on their investment will be a consideration when bidding begins on the energy generated at the facility, he indicated.
Only a handful of those attending actually expressed an interest in seeing the project succeed.
They believed that the high cost of energy could be reduced; Gillispie said power generated at the plant would cost about 2- to 3-cents per kilowatt hour.
The world's increased demand for energy is also stimulating new interests in nuclear energy, and even some of those formerly opposed to the technology are now supporting it, he commented.
The IEC nuclear power plant would use approximately 100,000 gallons of water per day, Gillispie said. The company has no plans to apply for a new water right, instead it will acquire existing rights.
Water processed through the plant will be used to irrigate crops growing around the facility, and it would not contain any contaminants from the plant, Gillispie explained.
Jennifer Baker, of Glenns Ferry, asked whether the construction of the nuclear power plant would result in the closure of Idaho power generation plants currently in, or being planned for, Mountain Home.
Gillispie does not see that happening. He said the nationšs increased demand for energy does not make practical the closure of any power producing facility.
As to the plant's susceptibility to terrorist attack, Gillispie noted that not only are new reactors designed to withstand catastrophic impact (from aircraft), but that they are highly secure.
He said at least three inspectors will be on-site residents, and will be responsible for the plant's safe operation and submitting daily reports to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
The 1,600 megawatt plant is expected to employ over 1,700 people. The average wage for an employee of the plant is $80,000 per year, Gillispie noted. The complex could include a biofuels component, should an independent company express interest in pursuing such a venture.
According to an IEC economic impact study, the plant would grow employment in Elmore and Owyhee counties by 25 percent and produce a total combined county income impact of $52.3 million during operation.
The study also showed that building one reactor would contribute $2.6 billion to the statešs economy while generating $74 million in state tax revenue per annum.
Gillispie expects to apply to the county for a Conditional Use Permit sometime this summer. That permitting process would require at least one public hearing, at which time county residents can give their input.
If all goes as planned, construction of the nuclear plant could begin in 2011, with startup in 2015.