April 2015
In This Issue...
Our Members

First Parish UU Church, 
Social Justice & 
Action Committees:




Downwind
by 
Rosanne Shapiro

We came prepared

with signs

and poetry

and a letter to deliver

peacefully, without
     resistance.

 

They came prepared

with blue uniforms

and yellow tape

and plastic handcuffs:

"No Escape."

 

They came prepared

with "the law"

and witnesses

and the government

on their side.

 

We came prepared

with lawyers who care

about what's really fair

with courageous experts

who told us "The emperor
     is naked."

 

They came prepared

with big pockets

and half-truths

and zero integrity

and full-page ads.

 

We came prepared

with Truth

and science

and undeniable facts

they choose to deny.

 

They will continue
     to come prepared

to prove us wrong

to deny the undeniable

and the facts

and the danger.

 

And we will continue
     to come prepared

to assert the truth

and the right to safety

and of future generations

to be here.

Volunteer Opportunities

The Pilgrim Coalition is always looking for more volunteers to help the cause. If you're interested, please contact us:   [email protected]
The Pilgrim Coalition 
is receiving an award!

The Peace Abbey Foundation will be honoring the Pilgrim Coalition with the 2015 Courage of Conscience Award, along with several other organizations and individuals, on:

 

Saturday, April 11 at 7:30 pm

First Parish UU Church
Duxbury, MA

 

We will be honored at the awards concert that features the music of internationally acclaimed Magical Strings.

 

Visit the Peace Abbey website for more info: 

http://www.peaceabbey.org

Upcoming Events:
4/8:  Democratic Forum: Barnstable and the Pilgrim Nuclear Plant: What's Important for Residents to Know?
Wednesday, April 8 from 7-9pm
Barnstable Senior Center
825 Falmouth Rd. (Rte. 28), Hyannis, MA

Speakers at this Forum:

Seth RolbeinSenior Advisor to Senator Dan Wolf 

Brian Mannal, State Representative, 2nd Barnstable District, and Vice-Chair of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.

Diane Turco, Co-Founder, Cape Downwinders

Sean O'Brien, Coordinator, Barnstable County Regional Emergency Preparedness Committee

Arlene Williamson, Executive Steering Committee, Pilgrim Coalition

4/14, 4/15, 4/16:  Public Hearing: Department of Environmental Protection on MA Clean Energy Standard

Help us pack the room! Please pick a location and attend. Don't allow the state to include Pilgrim's energy as "green"!

 

The Clean Energy Standard public hearing dates and comment deadline are:

 

Tuesday, April 14, 1:00 pm
MassDEP Headquarters
1 Winter Street, Boston, MA
(617) 292-5500

Wednesday, April 15, 1:00 pm
MassDEP Central Regional Office
8 New Bond Street, Worcester, MA
(508) 792-7650

Thursday, April 16, 1:00 pm
MassDEP Lakeville Office
20 Riverside Drive, Lakeville, MA

** The comment deadline has also been extended until April 27th at 5:00 pm. Written comments may be submitted by mail or to [email protected].

Department of Environmental Protection 
Bureau of Waste Prevention
(Attn: Will Space)
1 Winter Street, 7th Floor
Boston, MA 02108

More information here: Mass.gov > Energy and Environmental Affairs > MassDEP > Clean Energy Standard →

Mary Lampert, Pilgrim Watch, has provided additional info: Pilgrim Watch comments →

 

4/19:  Presentation: Living in the Shadow of a Nuclear Power Plant
Sunday, April 19 @ noon
Glastonbury Abbey Conference Center
20 Hull Street, Hingham, MA

Come learn simple steps you can take to help decrease your risk should a radiological emergency occur at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station. Presentations by Heather Lightner, RN, of Concerned Neighbors of Pilgrim, and Anna Baker of Pilgrim Coalition. 




Should state advocate for closure of Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station?   by Anna Baker and Chuck Adey, Boston Globe - March 29, 2015
Expert: Pilgrim shutdown a 'near miss'   
by Christine Legere, Cape Cod Times - March 25, 2015

PLYMOUTH - The Union of Concerned Scientists' top nuclear expert says the forced reactor shutdown at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station during the Jan. 27 blizzard was risky enough to make his organization's annual "near miss" list.

 

David Lochbaum, director of the organization's Nuclear Safety Project, said Pilgrim wasn't near meltdown, but the multitude of mechanical difficulties that occurred after offsite power to the plant was partially lost are cause for concern.

 

"There are many, many steps before a core meltdown, but they took a few steps down that road," Lochbaum said about Pilgrim. "In a perfect world, you don't want to go down that path at all."

 

An Entergy spokeswoman protested Lochbaum's characterization of the Jan. 27 shutdown.

 

"These claims are completely unfounded and irresponsible," Lauren Burm wrote in an email. "The shutdown occurred safely as plant operators were reducing power in response to the onset of a historic storm. During the storm, conditions were stable and there was never any threat to the safety of plant workers or the public."

 

On Jan. 27, Pilgrim's problems began with partial loss of offsite electrical power out in the plant's switch yard. Station response was complicated by the failure of a diesel-driven air compressor, leaking of a safety relief valve used to help depressurize the reactor; failure of one of the manually-operated safety relief valves; and failure of a "high pressure coolant injection system," which then leaked an inch of water onto the floor.

 

Sump pumps couldn't clear it, since all nonvital functions were shut down.

 

"Those events had the potential to lead to core damage by a factor of 10," Lochbaum said, which means the risk of that damage occurring would be 10 times greater than on a "normal everyday."

 

See what's happening online: www.pilgrimcoalition.org/calendar

Our member groups are always hosting events, gatherings, and forums for the public. 
We invite you to join us-come out and have some fun and find out what's going on!

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About the Pilgrim Coalition...
We are a non-partisan network of citizens and organizations dedicated to raising awareness of - and reducing - significant risks to public safety, health and our environment arising from the continued operation of Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, located in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Make a Donation >>  Help us grow by making a secure, tax-deductible donation online today. Checks can also be made out to the Pilgrim Coalition and sent to us at c/o Jones River Watershed Association, 55 Landing Road, Kingston, MA 02332.

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