CASEnergy Coalition Touts Green Jobs and Nuclear Power on Earth Day
67% of Americans Support the Expansion of Nuclear Power
WASHINGTON, DC, April 22, 2009 – As the U.S. celebrates the 39th Anniversary of Earth Day, leaders of the Clean and Safe Energy (CASEnergy) Coalition recognize the growing support of environmentally friendly, emission-free nuclear power as part of the effort to build a sustainable, clean-energy economy, with the added benefit of creating thousands of well-paying green jobs in the U.S.
“Nuclear power accounts for nearly 75 percent of all clean energy produced in the U.S. because it is virtually carbon free electricity,” said CASEnergy co-chair and Greenpeace co-founder and former leader Dr. Patrick Moore. “Even with increased conservation and efficiency measures, the U.S. will need 21 percent more electricity by 2030. And because nuclear energy is a 24/7 base load power source which can meet that demand both cleanly and reliably, it is not surprising that a recent Zogby International poll found that 67% of Americans support new nuclear power.”
As the U.S. addresses climate change issues against the backdrop of the current economic landscape, the construction of new nuclear power plants has the potential to infuse the economy with well-needed new jobs.
“A commitment to building new nuclear plants ensures the prospect of new jobs across America,” said CASEnergy co-chair and former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Christine Todd Whitman.
“According to the latest figures in the CASEnergy white paper, Job Creation in the Nuclear Renaissance:
- As many as 2,400 new jobs would be created during the construction of each reactor
- Once built, each reactor will provide 400-700 full-time jobs
- If the more than 30 reactors now under consideration are built, 12,000 to 21,000 new jobs would be added to the economy.”
Moreover, private new nuclear plant investment has already created 14,000 – 15,000 new jobs.The CASEnergy Coalition is also pleased to announce its 1900th member – the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The diversity of the coalition is a reflection of the growing broad-based support of nuclear energy due to the undeniable benefits of clean, safe, cost-efficient nuclear energy.