Page 19 - HOH

A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 19 January 2022
Majority of US states pursue nuclear power for emission cuts

By JENNIFER McDERMOTT package passed last year
Associated Press will allocate about $2.5 bil-
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — lion for advanced reactor
As climate change pushes demonstration projects.
states in the U.S. to dramati- U.S. Energy Secretary Jen-
cally cut their use of fossil nifer Granholm told the AP
fuels, many are coming to the administration wants to
the conclusion that solar, get to zero-carbon elec-
wind and other renewable tricity, and that means
power sources might not nuclear, hydropower, geo-
be enough to keep the thermal, wind and solar.
lights on. "We want it all," she said.
Nuclear power is emerging Nuclear technology still
as an answer to fill the gap comes with significant risks
as states transition away that other low-carbon en-
from coal, oil and natural ergy sources don't, said Ed-
gas to reduce greenhouse win Lyman, director of nu-
gas emissions and stave off clear power safety at the
the worst effects of a warm- Union of Concerned Sci-
ing planet. The renewed in- entists. He's concerned the
terest in nuclear comes as industry might cut corners
companies, including one on safety and security to
started by Microsoft found- save money and compete.
er Bill Gates, are develop- The group does not oppose
ing smaller, cheaper reac- Lyash puts it simply: You amount removed from the clear power in their green using nuclear power, but
tors that could supplement can't significantly reduce atmosphere. energy goals, instead lean- wants to make sure it's safe.
the power grid in communi- carbon emissions without An Associated Press survey ing heavily on renewables. The U.S. also has no long-
ties across the U.S. nuclear power. of the energy policies in all They pointed to advances term plan for managing or
Nuclear power comes "At this point in time, I don't 50 states and the District in energy storage using disposing the hazardous
with its own set of poten- see a path that gets us of Columbia found that batteries, investments in waste, and there remains
tial problems, especially there without preserving a strong majority— about the grid for high-voltage the danger of accidents
radioactive waste that the existing fleet and build- two-thirds— say nuclear, interstate transmission, en- or targeted attacks, Ly-
can remain dangerous for ing new nuclear," Lyash in one fashion or another, ergy efficiency efforts to re- man said. Nuclear disas-
thousands of years. But sup- said. will help take the place of duce demand and power ters at Pennsylvania's Three
porters say the risks can be The federally owned utility is fossil fuels. That momentum provided by hydroelectric Mile Island, Chernobyl and
minimized and that the en- adding solar capacity, but could lead to the first ex- dams. The split over nuclear more recently, Fukushima,
ergy source will be essential also operates three nucle- pansion of nuclear reactor power mirrors a similar de- Japan, in 2011 provide an
to stabilize power supplies ar plants and plans to test construction in the U.S. in bate unfolding in Europe. enduring warning.
as the world tries to move a small reactor. By 2050, it more than three decades. The Biden administration Nuclear power already pro-
away from carbon dioxide- hopes to become net zero, Roughly one-third of the has tried to take aggres- vides about 20% of electric-
emitting fossil fuels. which means the amount states and the District of sive steps to reduce green- ity in the U.S., or about half
Tennessee Valley Author- of greenhouse gases pro- Columbia say they have house gases in the U.S. the nation's carbon-free
ity President and CEO Jeff duced is no more than the no plans to incorporate nu- The $1 trillion infrastructure energy.q

Jim Obergefell, face of gay marriage, to run for Ohio House

By JOHN SEEWER he's running for a seat in the that put an end to same- priorities are improving the Arthur's surviving spouse on
Associated Press Ohio legislature. sex marriage bans, turning region's job outlook and his death certificate.
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Obergefell, a Democrat, him into one of the most vis- protecting Lake Erie, a They won a temporary in-
Gay rights advocate Jim said he wants Ohio to be ible figures in the marriage- major driver of the area's junction and when Arthur
Obergefell, whose name a place where people feel equality movement. economy. died a little over three
was atop the U.S. Supreme they have equal opportu- Obergefell will run for the His path to becoming an months after they were
Court case legalizing same- nity. Ohio House in a district that "accidental" activist began married, Obergefell was
sex marriage nationwide, He was the lead plaintiff in includes his hometown of when he and his partner, listed as his spouse on his
announced Tuesday that the landmark 2015 ruling Sandusky and has been John Arthur, were unable death certificate.
dominated by Republi- to wed in Ohio because of But the legal victory was
cans the past eight years. their home state's ban on overturned, setting the
Obergefell moved back to same-sex marriage. At the stage for the Supreme
his hometown in 2021 to be time, Obergefell was living Court's historic decision.
closer to family. in Cincinnati and hadn't By a 5-4 vote, the court
"I think I've proven with my been much involved in pol- ruled on June 26, 2015,
fight for marriage equality itics. that same-sex couples can
that I don't mind being an Obergefell and Arthur, who exercise the fundamen-
underdog," he said. was dying of Lou Gehrig's tal right to marry. Follow-
Obergefell said the area of disease, decided to get ing the ruling Obergefell
northern Ohio he wants to married in Maryland after has worked for a group
represent has struggled to the Supreme Court struck that advocates for LGBTQ
attract good paying jobs down part of the Defense families and spoken out on
and that too many people of Marriage Act in 2013. But transgender and civil rights
have been forced to leave. Ohio's ban meant Oberge- in appearances, interviews
He said two of his biggest fell would not be listed as and on social media.q