B1041-1 Moron Politics: Vermont Nuclear Power

The Vermont Senate voted to ban the reissue of a nuclear power plant operating license for the Vermont Yankee power plant, even though Vermont receives one third of its electrical power from that facility. The main issue seemed to be concerns about leaking piping systems in this power plant and the very real risk of groundwater contamination from radioactive tritium. Aside from the question of maintenance and repair of the machinery in this facility - all of which are feasible and doable - a larger issue in this case is the overpowering sense that garden variety Luddites have swarmed into Montpelier and overtaken the Senate.

Far be it from me to condemn the activities of Vermonters in their selection of legislation for their own state. But I suspect that something more drastic than simple concerns about leaking pipes is in play here. I think what we are seeing here is an example of the Green Mountain Wood Stover Syndrome in operation: that heady New England self-reliance, put-another-log-on-the-fire, don't-tread-on-me, anti-capitalist, anti-technology, shoot-yourself-in-the-foot Liberal bias. Of course, those of us who are observing all this from the sidelines - especially here in the bowels of Appalachia - see some rather practical problems with legislation that would shut off one-third of the electrical power in the state. Wood stoves do not power laptop computers, and it's inconvenient to sip your Chardonnay in the dark without the Mozartian counterpoint playing in the background. If energy costs in Vermont are high today, the future holds no bright promises for its citizens when a third of that energy will have to be imported from elsewhere. Hey friends, it isn’t easy being green.

We may get to see some rather compelling examples of the Law of Unintended Consequences in Vermont in 2012 when Yankee power goes cold. Look for folks with missing noses then - the bitten-off-to-spite-their-own-face kind. They will be easy to pick out because they will be driving the Volvos with the Obama bumper stickers.