2002 31st Annual Congressional Black Caucus Legislative Conference Week(end)
AAEA President Norris McDonald was a panelist on the (Sept 13) Transportation Braintrust, "Transportation 9/11...Are We Really Safe?" The Braintrust was sponsored by Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-MD7) and included:
U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta,
Federal Railroad Administration Administrator Allan Rutter,
Douglas Browning - Deputy Commissioner - U.S. Customs,
Captain Kevin Dale - Commandant - U.S. Coast Guard,
Fred Millar - Hazardous Material Transportation Consultant and
John Vincent - Senior Project Manager - Nuclear Energy Institute.
John Vincent, Norris McDonald, Julie A. Cunningham, & Congressman Elijah Cummings
The Braintrust, held at the Washington Convention Center, was coordinated by the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO).
McDonald presented testimony describing our support for nuclear power. McDonald described the great benefit of nuclear power: emission free electricity. Having toured Yucca Mountain, he assured attendees that AAEA believes that depleted uranium fuel rod assemblies can be safely transported in state-of-the-art tranportation castes to this permanent repository. He told the audience that we should also recycle the nuclear waste fuel and we should use breeder reactors to breed additional reactor fuel from uranium 238. The majority of the Congressional Black Caucus supported Yucca Mountain. AAEA also thanks Congressman Cummings for his support of the repository.
International Women's Organization to Tour Nuclear Waste Repository Site Industry Celebrates 50th Anniversary
More than 200 women from about a dozen countries met in Las Vegas the week of June 16 for the Women in Nuclear (WIN) Global 11th Annual Conference. Women whose careers span the spectrum of the nuclear industry--from administrators to nuclear power plant managers to nuclear regulatory commissioners--discussed industry issues as well as the opportunities and challenges of being minorities in a male-dominated, technical industry.
In nuclear energy's 50-year history, it has taken 44 years for the first woman to be named manager of a nuclear power plant and 45 years for the second. Donna Jacobs was selected as Plant Manager of Wolf Creek nuclear power plant in Kansas in 2001 and Susan Landahl was named Plant Manager of the LaSalle nuclear plant in Illinois in 2002. Both women, along with one of France's first female nuclear power plant managers, Catherine Gaujacq and four members who serve on the regulatory commissions of the U.S., Canada, Spain and Japan, were among the conference participants and toured Yucca Mountain.
Tours of Yucca Mountain, located about 90 miles north of Las Vegas were held on Monday, June 16, and Thursday, June 19.
New York City Council
(Tuesday, May 7, 2002)
AAEA President Norris McDonald presented testimony before the Committee on Environmental Protection in opposition to Chairman James F. Gennaro's Resolution 64, which called for the immediate shutdown of Indian Point nuclear power plant {see our Documents: NY Testimony for full text}. McDonald informed Chairman Gennaro that New York City has the highest rate 
of asthma mortality in the country. For asthmatics, the value of the Indian Point facility is priceless. Nuclear produced electricity reduces smog. AAEA is promoting a campaign to combine nuclear power with electric and hybrid vehicles to eliminate smog. Nuclear power plants provide emission-free electricity to 2 million New Yorkers. Our nation's valuable facilities are not the problem--TERRORISTS are the problem. Let's eliminate terrorists, not priceless American assets, such as Indian Point.
AAEA & NEI Participate in Society of Environmental Journalist Conference & Display Westinghouse AP600 Nuclear Power Plant Model at 12 Annual Conference in Baltimore, Maryland
The Nuclear Energy Institute and Westinghouse provided a display model of the NRC-approve AP600 for approximately 800 journalists from all over the country in October 2002. The state-of-the-art model was computerized and had light displays, descriptive voice interface and cut-away views. Governor Paris N. Glendening also stopped by to view the display.
AAEA & NEI provided journalists with descriptions of the AP600 and provided information about Yucca Mountain. Many environmental organizations also had exhibits on display at the conference.
