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November 18, 2009 (LPAC)—Sens. Jim Webb (D-VA) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN)introduced a bill in the US Senate for 100 new nuclear power plants to be built in the next 20 years, essentially doubling the amount of nuclear generated power in the U.S. While far short of the 6,000 nuclear plants which are actually needed worldwide by 2050, and while also appealing to the insane climate-change justification for "carbon clean" nuclear power, Sen. Webb countered the inanity of the current climate change bills in the House and Senate in his floor speech on Nov. 16, putting another nail in the coffin of "cap and trade." Webb pointed to the contradiction between the mounting energy needs and the fact that no nuclear plants have been built in 30 years, offshore oil expansion was stopped over an incident 40 years ago, and coal is denounced as "too dirty." He said we must act on what we "know and what we need," rather than on people's fears. He said that he could not support the climate-change bills in their present form, and that the nuclear option could and should be begun immediately.

Webb especially emphasized that "one of the greatest benefits of a nuclear program is the quality individuals it produces," looking back to his days at the Naval Academy, where "the quality of training was unsurpassed. We must see this again — creating both skilled craftsmen as well as nuclear engineers."

Both Webb and Alexander spoke to the 2009 Winter Meeting of the American Nuclear Society Nov. 16 on the proposal, called "The Clean Energy Act of 2009," for $20 billion in loan guarantees, nuclear education and workforce training, research, extension of the life of the existing plants, and a sop to other "alternatives" like biofuel and solar.

Alexander said: "The Chinese are starting a new nuclear power plant every two to three months. The Japanese obtain a third of their power from nuclear plants and build new reactors from start-to-finish in less than four years. France gets eighty percent of its electricity from nuclear power and, as a result, has among the lowest electric rates and carbon emissions in Western Europe. Russia plans to double its nuclear power capacity. The United Arab Emirates is planning three new reactors by 2020. And just last week, the United Kingdom announced it will build ten." He detailed the wastefulness of solar and windfarms, adding: "Think of it this way: if we were going to war we wouldn't mothball our nuclear navy and start subsidizing sailboats."