Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Citizen input is essential for nuclear power plant proposal

The Citrus County Commission recently approved a resolution encouraging Progress Energy to select the Crystal River site for construction of a new nuclear power facility. It is very alarming that no in-depth study was conducted or informed citizen participation involved to assess the merits and full implication of such an important and far-reaching proposal.

During the past decade, a significant number of countries have decided against further nuclear power plant investments and construction of new nuclear facilities, instead opting for phasing out the use of nuclear power and eventual closure of existing facilities. These decisions to phase out the use of nuclear power resulted from reassessments of the safety risks this technology poses.

Although the local facility has been certified as safe by federal and international standards, informed citizen input is still needed to assess the growing opinion that the scale of the impact of possible nuclear accidents cannot be justified, even if the probability of such accidents is low.

Still lacking is a practical solution to the problem of the final disposal of highly radioactive waste. Progress Energy and our County Commission should not assume that the current policy of long-term storage in Citrus County of this very dangerous waste is acceptable to our citizens.

Radioactive waste is a burden for future generations. Phasing out nuclear power restricts the production of more radioactive waste. Additionally, numerous measures are required to manage and prevent the risk of misuse of nuclear material on a national and international level. Stopping reprocessing of fuel reduces the overall stock of proliferation material, and contributes to preventing the risks of proliferation even arising.

In light of the accidents at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and elsewhere, full study and citizen input are essential.

Talks among major interest groups, such as local community, environmental, industrial, church and those with political mandates could ensure broader public participation in reassessing the risks this technology poses before we encourage further investments at the Crystal River Progress Energy site.

Writer's assessments of council, city staffers are out of line

Re: Council should follow member's lead, letter to the editor, Feb. 2.

As a 32-year resident of Inverness, I am most pleased that the author of the letter, Winston Perry, finds humor in the recent letter by Catherine Nacarelli. My pleasure is derived from the fact that in his letter, Perry exposes himself for who he really is - the catalyst or stimulus of the few discontented and disingenuous rabble who dislike or even hate City Manager Frank DiGiovanni and his staff.

The rabble of whom I speak are on both sides of the fence, or dais, if you will.

Perry's suggestion that Sophia Diaz-Fonseca is the best City Council member Inverness has had borders on lunacy unless, of course, Perry considers her to be one of his minions.

I suggest that Perry's quote of the late Walt Connors is not based on what he heard him say but rather what he was told that Connors said.

As for Perry's accusation that council member John Sullivan demeaned him in some way, I suggest that Perry has dug his own hole. Also, council president Ken Hinkle responded in an appropriate manner and fortunately for this city, is more perceptive than Perry has given him credit for.

Perry should heed the wisdom: There are none so blind or deaf as those who will not see or hear.

Brown-Waite works tirelessly to help 5th District veterans

As a veteran and a member of several local veterans service organizations, I would like to take this opportunity to let your readers know the dramatic and positive changes in service for veterans in the 5th District since Ginny Brown-Waite was elected to Congress.

The first item to point out is the dramatic reduction in wait times at our local VA outpatient clinics. As someone who uses these clinics for my own health care needs, and who helps navigate the system for other vets in the area, it has been a breath of fresh air for me to see my friends get the care they need much more quickly.

Before 2003, many of us would have to wait up to three or four months for an appointment. Today, those numbers are less than 30 days. That reduction is due to the tireless support and advocacy of our congresswoman, Ginny Brown-Waite.

Working with the VA in Washington and the regional folks in VISN-8, Ginny kept the pressure on the VA to renovate and build clinics throughout the region.

Today, we have a Brooksville clinic that has been tripled in size, a Lecanto clinic that has been renovated and enlarged, a brand new clinic in the Villages, and a large expansion to the New Port Richey facility. Additionally, the VA CARES Commission has agreed to build a new VA inpatient hospital in Orlando, one of only two new facilities in the entire nation.

These changes could not have been done without Ginny fighting for us in Congress. She used her position as a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee to ensure that funding for VA health care was not reduced, and has even brought the past two VA secretaries down to her district to tour the local facilities and see the great need that our veterans have.

Finally, I must commend Ginny and her staff for working tirelessly to keep the local VSO community in the loop and constantly updated on what is going on with VA issues and needs.

I know that if I have a problem or a concern that I can go to Ginny and it will be taken care of. In fact, for the fist time in nearly 25 years of doing this job, I was invited to a veterans round-table with other VSO officers from the whole region to meet with the congresswoman and voice our concerns. That has never been done with our senators or our previous members of Congress.

All veterans in the 5th District should know that you have a woman in Congress who is working for you, who is looking out for your health care needs, and who will fight for you and your brothers and sisters who have given so much. Thank you, Ginny, for the good work that you do.

[Last modified February 13, 2006, 00:45:19]