Nuclear Power is Dead. Time for a Just Transition: A Left Forum Panel

SDIPN will once again be hosting a Left Forum panel. The theme for 2017 is “The Resistance.” Our panel  is entitled, “Nuclear Power is Dead. Time for a Just Transition.” The panel is scheduled for Sunday, June 4th 12 Noon — 1:50PM, in room 1.65. Our scheduled panelists will be Estela Vazquez, Exec. VP of 1199 SEIU, and Alfred Meyer, Co-Chair of the Radiation and Health Committee of Physicians for Social Responsibility. SDIPN Co-Chairs Catherine Skopic and Carl Lundgren will facilitate and make presentations.

Visit www.leftforum.org to register.

Here is the panel abstract from the Left Forum website:

“Nuclear power has come to the end of it’s long, destructive road. The industry itself acknowledges this in it’s own publications and analyses but the public is still being conned — through editorials, op-eds, and propaganda — into believing it’s still necessary as a bridge to clean, green alternative energy sources. One of the tactics they use repeatedly is to shift the discussion to the “devastating” impact closures would have on workers, their families and communities, pitting labor against potential allies among activists for social, economic, political and environmental change. The issue has become even more contentious with states such as NY spending billions on bailing out aging, failing nukes instead of developing programs for a “Just Transition.” Our panel will discuss what a program for a genuine Just Transition would look like; one that would ensure employment for workers, security for their families, and stability for affected communities. We will encourage participants to offer their suggestions and ideas. Using the Indian Point nuclear facility as an example, we’ll provide the verifiable facts and figures that counter the misinformation we’re being fed, and explain how the money being misused for bailouts would be put to better use in the transition to a nuclear and fossil-fuel free future.”

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SDIPN at the Left Forum

What Does a Just Transition Look Like; How Do We Get There?

SDIPN at the Left Forum Conference 2016
Saturday, May 21st, 12:00 PM – 1:50 PM
John Jay College, 524 W. 59th St. New York, NY / Rm 1.87

There has been much talk in recent years about Just Transition: providing training and employment for workers moving from the fossil fuel and nuclear industries into new green, alternative, sustainable jobs. It sounds great. We seem to have a vague idea of what Just Transition means but how we get there still needs a lot of work and planning. A program for just transition needs to be developed with the help of environmental activists, workers, and elected officials. Our panel will ask the questions and try to provide some of the answers and requirements for creating the framework to take Just Transition from a vision statement to a reality.

Co-Facilitators:
Catherine Skopic: Chair SDIPN Legislative Committee
Carl Lundgren: Chair SDIPN

Speakers:
Susan Shapiro: Attorney, Hito-Shapiro Law
Sean Sweeney: CUNY Murphy Institute, Respondent

Please register online at www.leftforum.org

Peace Action of Staten Island Forum on Indian Point

SDIPN members Alfred Meyer, John Reynolds and Catherine Skopic will be speaking at a forum on Indian Point this Thursday, Feb. 18 presented by Staten Island Peace Action.
‪#‎shutdownipnow‬

Indian Point’s 100% Replacement Energy in Place Now – to Power the Bronx and All of New York City

 [The following opinion article is a rebuttal to one posted by Frank Fraley that posted on February 4, 2016 in the Norwood News. ]

(Op-Ed) Indian Point’s 100% Replacement Energy in Place Now – to Power the Bronx and All of New York City

By CATHERINE SKOPIC

We applaud Governor Andrew Cuomo’s support for the closure of the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant. As he has clearly stated there is no evacuation plan and it is too close to New York City. No need to worry. New York City does not need Indian Point to keep our lights on.

New York State energy regulators have already evaluated any potential reliability issues that could occur when Indian Point is closed and created a plan to ensure they are addressed: the Indian Point Replacement Contingency Plan is already being implemented by Con Edison and the New York Power Authority.*(Nuclear Information and Resource Service http://www.nirs.org)

Is the Bronx Burning?: A Community Forum:

NUCLEAR POWER, AND THE INDIAN POINT NUCLEAR POWER PLANT: Are they PART OF THE SOLUTION OR PART OF THE PROBLEM?

Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

St. Ann’s Episcopal Church
295 St. Ann’s Avenue (at E.140th St.)
Bronx, New York 10454

Indian Point is located less than 25 miles from us, just a 30 minute drive from the Bronx. It’s an aging facility, long past its expected expiration date. There have been a number of accidents and breakdowns over the years, all of which had the potential for disaster, placing all our lives in grave danger. It’s a ticking time bomb…AND… we no longer need it to supply our electricity.

Shut Down Indian Point Now! invites you to attend a grassroots community forum where we will explore the following questions:

• Can we afford to shut down the Indian Point nuclear power plant
• Can we afford not to shut down Indian Point?
• Do we need to move towards 100% clean, green renewable energy, with livable-wage, green renewable jobs for Bronx residents, with all deliberate speed (but no later than 2030!)?
• If 100% clean, green renewable energy is the objective, is nuclear energy part of the solution…or part of the problem?

(HINT: What does clean, renewable energy have to do with asthma rates in the South Bronx? With livable-wage jobs in the South Bronx? With housing for poor and working people in the Bronx?)

A Question & Answer discussion will follow the presentation

Confirmed speakers (list in formation):

• Tim Judson (Nuclear Information & Resource Service – NIRS)
• Alfred Meyer (Physicians for Social Responsibility – PSR)
• Catherine Skopic (Shut Down Indian Point Now! -SDIPN!)

Welcome by Rev. Martha Overall (St. Ann’s Episcopal Church)

Introduction by Carl Lundgren (Chair, Shut Down Indian Point Now! -SDIPN!)

Co-sponsors (list in formation):

• 350NYC
• Bronx Climate Change North
• Bronx Greens/Verdes del Bronx
• Food and Water Watch
• Green Ecosocialist Movement
• Hudson River Sloop Clearwater
• Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition
• Manhattan Green Party Local
• New York Friends of Clearwater
• Peace Action Staten Island
• South Bronx Community Congress
• United for Action

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DIRECTIONS:

Subway: #6 train to Brook Ave. Walk East one block to St. Ann’s Ave; walk North two blocks on St. Ann’s Ave. Church is on your left; #2, 5 train to Prospect Ave. Transfer to Southbound BX17 bus and exit at the St. Ann’s Ave/E. 141st St. stop. Walk South on St. Ann’s Ave. a few yards. Church is on your right. Alternately: #2 train to W 135th St. Transfer to Eastbound Bx33 bus; exit at the Brook Ave./E. 138th St. stop. Walk East one block to St. Ann’s Ave; walk North two blocks on St. Ann’s Ave. Church is on left.

Bus: Eastbound Bx33 bus; exit at the Brook Ave./E. 138th St. stop. Walk East one block to St. Ann’s Ave; walk North two blocks on St. Ann’s Ave. Church is on your left. Southbound BX17 bus; exit at the St. Ann’s Ave./E. 141st St. stop. Walk South on St. Ann’s Ave. a few yards. Church is on your right.

Paul Blanch speaks at Indian Point Forum – July 18, 2015

Paul Blanch is a former energy consultant who worked at Indian Point.

Video courtesy of Joe Friendly

City of Water Day Festival – Governors Island – July 18, 2015

SDIPN will be tabling at the 2015 City of Water Day Festival on Governors Island. If you’d like to help out or for more info, contact Catherine Skopic – 212-227-7847 / catherineskopic@yahoo.com.

The City of Water Day Festival is a free day-long celebration of the world-class potential of the water that surrounds us and brings us together. Held on Governors Island, New York and Maxwell Place Park in Hoboken, New Jersey, the event draws thousands of people from throughout the New York-New Jersey metropolitan region to participate in hundreds of unique, fun, and educational waterfront activities organized by the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance (MWA) and its over 800 Alliance Partners. The events run between 10am and 4pm on Saturday July 18, 2015.

Visit the website – www.cityofwaterday.org – for details and directions.

Forum, July 18, 2015 : Indian Point – Danger on the Hudson

WBAI report from the Left Forum

WBAI radio interviewed Catherine Skopic and Tim Judson at the SDIPN panel at the Left Forum on Sunday: Listen here

Join SDIPN at the Left Forum this Sunday