New Nuclear Power and Climate Change: Issues and Opportunities Welcome

Upcoming EBC Meetings Nov 6 - Env. Industry Forecast w/ Paul Zofnass Nov 8 - Ira Leighton USEPA Update in RI Nov 14 - EPA VOC Control/Stack Testing Workshop at EPA Lab in Chelmsford Nov 15 - Tour of PSNH Wood Burner Nov 28 - Risk Assessment/Risk Mgmt Program Nov 30 - An Evening with CT DEP Commissioner Gina McCarthy Dec 6 – Winter Garden Party in Boston

EBC Mission Statement The mission of the Environmental Business Council of New England, Inc. is to advance and promote the environmental and energy services and technology businesses in New England. Provides programs on current legislative, regulatory, and technology developments that shape the future of the environmental/energy industry Provides direct access to regulators and industry leaders to discuss developing issues Offers networking and business development opportunities for its members Supports and promotes sustainable environmental policies and practices for business and government Fosters the development of future generations of the industry through academic partnerships and mentoring and training opportunities Provides access to market research

Scale of The Challenge For 1 GtC reduction in MW electrics with CO 2 capture (800) 1000 MW nuclear stations (700) 1 MW wind turbines (1 million) Double fuel economy of cars (2 billion)... None economic & accepted today... To achieve any target now discussed Price (& regulatory) penalty on CO 2 emissions Technology advance to lower the cost of low-CO 2 energy supply and use of energy services... Only policy involving BOTH will work...

New Nuclear Power and Climate Change: Issues and Opportunities Kenneth Hughey

New Nuclear Power and Climate Change: Issues and Opportunities Jay Scheffer, Conference Chair

New Nuclear Power and Climate Change: Issues and Opportunities Keynote Presentation David Ropeik Nuclear Power Public Fears – Perception and Reality

Bounded Rationality When we don’t have all the time, all the information, or all the “smarts” we need to make a completely fact-based analytical decision. When we don’t have all the time, all the information, or all the “smarts” we need to make a completely fact-based analytical decision.

RISK PERCEPTION FACTORS Psychological factors by which we gauge what to be afraid of and how afraid to be. The characteristics of a risk, apart from the facts. Psychological factors by which we gauge what to be afraid of and how afraid to be. The characteristics of a risk, apart from the facts.

1. TRUST (More Afraid) Anything connected with industryAnything connected with industry Communications from politiciansCommunications from politicians A decision making process that’s closedA decision making process that’s closed (Less Afraid) Anything connected with consumer groupsAnything connected with consumer groups Communications from neutral experts (doctors, academics)Communications from neutral experts (doctors, academics) A decision making process that’s openA decision making process that’s open (More Afraid) Anything connected with industryAnything connected with industry Communications from politiciansCommunications from politicians A decision making process that’s closedA decision making process that’s closed (Less Afraid) Anything connected with consumer groupsAnything connected with consumer groups Communications from neutral experts (doctors, academics)Communications from neutral experts (doctors, academics) A decision making process that’s openA decision making process that’s open

1. TRUST In the communicatorIn the communicator In the organization that’s supposed to protect youIn the organization that’s supposed to protect you In the organization creating the riskIn the organization creating the risk In the processIn the process In the communicatorIn the communicator In the organization that’s supposed to protect youIn the organization that’s supposed to protect you In the organization creating the riskIn the organization creating the risk In the processIn the process

2. HARM V. BENEFIT Vaccinations, medical X rays,Vaccinations, medical X rays, prescription drugs prescription drugs Lawn chemicalsLawn chemicals Using a mobile phone while you driveUsing a mobile phone while you drive Vaccinations, medical X rays,Vaccinations, medical X rays, prescription drugs prescription drugs Lawn chemicalsLawn chemicals Using a mobile phone while you driveUsing a mobile phone while you drive

3. CONTROL (ability to influence events as they occur) (More Afraid) Riding as a passenger in the front seat of a motor vehicleRiding as a passenger in the front seat of a motor vehicle A process in which you can NOT participateA process in which you can NOT participate (Less Afraid) Driving a motor vehicleDriving a motor vehicle A process in which you CAN participateA process in which you CAN participate (More Afraid) Riding as a passenger in the front seat of a motor vehicleRiding as a passenger in the front seat of a motor vehicle A process in which you can NOT participateA process in which you can NOT participate (Less Afraid) Driving a motor vehicleDriving a motor vehicle A process in which you CAN participateA process in which you CAN participate

4. CHOICE (is the risk voluntary or imposed) (More Afraid) Food with a potentially harmful ingredient NOTFood with a potentially harmful ingredient NOT listed on the label listed on the label The government chooses your town for a nuclearThe government chooses your town for a nuclear waste repository waste repository (Less Afraid) Food with a harmful ingredient that IS listed onFood with a harmful ingredient that IS listed on the label the label INVITING the government to locate the nuclearINVITING the government to locate the nuclear waste repository in your town waste repository in your town (More Afraid) Food with a potentially harmful ingredient NOTFood with a potentially harmful ingredient NOT listed on the label listed on the label The government chooses your town for a nuclearThe government chooses your town for a nuclear waste repository waste repository (Less Afraid) Food with a harmful ingredient that IS listed onFood with a harmful ingredient that IS listed on the label the label INVITING the government to locate the nuclearINVITING the government to locate the nuclear waste repository in your town waste repository in your town

5. NATURAL V. HUMAN- MADE (More Afraid) Industrial chemicals (drugs, pesticides)Industrial chemicals (drugs, pesticides) Technologies (GM food, nuclear power)Technologies (GM food, nuclear power) TerrorismTerrorism (Less Afraid) Organic foods and pesticidesOrganic foods and pesticides Herbal remediesHerbal remedies Severe weatherSevere weather (More Afraid) Industrial chemicals (drugs, pesticides)Industrial chemicals (drugs, pesticides) Technologies (GM food, nuclear power)Technologies (GM food, nuclear power) TerrorismTerrorism (Less Afraid) Organic foods and pesticidesOrganic foods and pesticides Herbal remediesHerbal remedies Severe weatherSevere weather

6. DREAD (More Afraid) Anything associated with radiation (cancer)Anything associated with radiation (cancer) Pesticides (cancer)Pesticides (cancer) Plane CrashPlane Crash (Less Afraid) Heart disease (leading cause of death in the U.S.)Heart disease (leading cause of death in the U.S.) FluFlu Food poisoningFood poisoning (More Afraid) Anything associated with radiation (cancer)Anything associated with radiation (cancer) Pesticides (cancer)Pesticides (cancer) Plane CrashPlane Crash (Less Afraid) Heart disease (leading cause of death in the U.S.)Heart disease (leading cause of death in the U.S.) FluFlu Food poisoningFood poisoning

7. CATASTROPHIC or CHRONIC (More Afraid) TerrorismTerrorism Plane crashesPlane crashes Nuclear “disaster”Nuclear “disaster” (Less Afraid) Heart diseaseHeart disease Motor vehicle crashesMotor vehicle crashes Air pollution from fossil fuelsAir pollution from fossil fuels (More Afraid) TerrorismTerrorism Plane crashesPlane crashes Nuclear “disaster”Nuclear “disaster” (Less Afraid) Heart diseaseHeart disease Motor vehicle crashesMotor vehicle crashes Air pollution from fossil fuelsAir pollution from fossil fuels

8. UNCERTAINTY (When we don’t have all the answers, or we have them but don’t understand them.) (More Afraid) New technologiesNew technologies TerrorismTerrorism Complex technologies/ (nuclear power, chemicals, GM foods)Complex technologies/ (nuclear power, chemicals, GM foods) Conflicting scientific studies (hormone repl. therapy)Conflicting scientific studies (hormone repl. therapy) (Less Afraid) Artificial sweeteners, microwave ovens, electrical & magnetic fields, fossil fuels.Artificial sweeteners, microwave ovens, electrical & magnetic fields, fossil fuels. (More Afraid) New technologiesNew technologies TerrorismTerrorism Complex technologies/ (nuclear power, chemicals, GM foods)Complex technologies/ (nuclear power, chemicals, GM foods) Conflicting scientific studies (hormone repl. therapy)Conflicting scientific studies (hormone repl. therapy) (Less Afraid) Artificial sweeteners, microwave ovens, electrical & magnetic fields, fossil fuels.Artificial sweeteners, microwave ovens, electrical & magnetic fields, fossil fuels.

9. ME OR THEM Terrorism to Americans in “The Ho ME land” after September 11, 2001Terrorism to Americans in “The Ho ME land” after September 11, 2001 Radiation from power lines when such a line is installed near your homeRadiation from power lines when such a line is installed near your home HIV/AIDS to those in high risk groups.HIV/AIDS to those in high risk groups. Terrorism to Americans in “The Ho ME land” after September 11, 2001Terrorism to Americans in “The Ho ME land” after September 11, 2001 Radiation from power lines when such a line is installed near your homeRadiation from power lines when such a line is installed near your home HIV/AIDS to those in high risk groups.HIV/AIDS to those in high risk groups.

10. FAMILIAR V. NEW (More Afraid) West Nile Virus in year oneWest Nile Virus in year one Terrorist attacks in AmericaTerrorist attacks in America Avian influenza (H5N1)Avian influenza (H5N1) (Less Afraid) West Nile Virus in year two, three….West Nile Virus in year two, three…. Terrorist attacks in IsraelTerrorist attacks in Israel “Regular” Influenza“Regular” Influenza (More Afraid) West Nile Virus in year oneWest Nile Virus in year one Terrorist attacks in AmericaTerrorist attacks in America Avian influenza (H5N1)Avian influenza (H5N1) (Less Afraid) West Nile Virus in year two, three….West Nile Virus in year two, three…. Terrorist attacks in IsraelTerrorist attacks in Israel “Regular” Influenza“Regular” Influenza

11. CHILDREN Plastics in children’s toysPlastics in children’s toys AbductionAbduction Pollution problems in schoolsPollution problems in schools Plastics in children’s toysPlastics in children’s toys AbductionAbduction Pollution problems in schoolsPollution problems in schools

12. PERSONIFICATION Fear of child abduction rises when there is a specific case in the newsFear of child abduction rises when there is a specific case in the news Fear of war rises after we see pictures of the dead and injuredFear of war rises after we see pictures of the dead and injured Concern about medical errors increases when we learn of a specific victim of a doctor’s mistakeConcern about medical errors increases when we learn of a specific victim of a doctor’s mistake Fear of child abduction rises when there is a specific case in the newsFear of child abduction rises when there is a specific case in the news Fear of war rises after we see pictures of the dead and injuredFear of war rises after we see pictures of the dead and injured Concern about medical errors increases when we learn of a specific victim of a doctor’s mistakeConcern about medical errors increases when we learn of a specific victim of a doctor’s mistake

13. AWARENESS (More Afraid) TerrorismTerrorism Avian fluAvian flu Nuclear powerNuclear power (Less Afraid) Heart diseaseHeart disease InfluenzaInfluenza Fossil fuel pollutionFossil fuel pollution (More Afraid) TerrorismTerrorism Avian fluAvian flu Nuclear powerNuclear power (Less Afraid) Heart diseaseHeart disease InfluenzaInfluenza Fossil fuel pollutionFossil fuel pollution