ASG Senior Advisor Browner named to Leadership Council of Nuclear Matters
Browner Brings Deep Energy and Environmental Policy Experience to Growing Bipartisan Campaign to Preserve Existing Nuclear Energy Plants
WASHINGTON, D.C. (April 22, 2014) – Nuclear Matters today announced that Carol M. Browner, former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator and former Director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy, is lending her support to the bipartisan campaign to preserve America’s existing nuclear plants because of the many benefits they provide, in particular for their role in helping to address climate change by producing carbon-free electricity.
Ms. Browner joins Nuclear Matters’ Leadership Council, broadening its bipartisan reach and adding extensive energy and environmental expertise to the campaign. Nuclear Matters – co-chaired by former Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Judd Gregg (R-NH) – works to spark conversations with the public and policymakers to highlight the value of America’s existing nuclear plants, especially given their contribution to this country’s carbon-free energy production, their reliability, and their economic benefits. For a number of reasons, some of the nation’s existing nuclear energy plants face threats to their continued operation.
“As EPA Administrator, I led an organization charged with protecting our nation’s public health and the environment, and I saw first-hand how important producing energy and electricity from clean sources is to our energy security and the health of our communities,” said Ms. Browner. “Preserving our existing nuclear plants will be a key part of our efforts to reduce carbon emissions and build a cleaner-energy future and safer environment for our children.”
“Carol Browner was the longest serving Administrator of the EPA, where she was known for working with both environmental groups and the private sector to promote clean air and other environmental goals,” said Senators Bayh and Gregg. “Nuclear Matters looks forward to having her continue her efforts to educate the public and key stakeholders on the importance of existing nuclear energy plants to reduce carbon emissions, and to working with all parties involved to identify the right kinds of solutions that will help preserve these valuable resources.”
Ms. Browner joins former Secretary of Energy and U.S. Senator Spencer Abraham, and former Secretary of Commerce and White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley, on the Leadership Council of Nuclear Matters.
Our existing nuclear energy plants produce virtually no carbon dioxide or air pollution. They provide about 20% of America’s energy supply, and account for 64% of the country’s emission-free generation. In fact, our existing nuclear energy plants produce more clean air energy than all other sources combined. To put this in perspective, existing nuclear power plants prevented 569 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions in 2012, equal to CO2 emissions from 110 million automobiles. Those same plants also prevented 1 million short tons of sulfur dioxide (which contributes to acid rain) and a half-million short tons of nitrogen oxide (which causes urban smog).
To learn more or join in the efforts of Nuclear Matters, please visitwww.NuclearMatters.com.
About Nuclear Matters
The mission of Nuclear Matters is to inform the public about the clear benefits that nuclear energy provides to our nation, raise awareness of the economic challenges to nuclear energy that threaten those benefits, and to work with stakeholders to explore possible policy solutions that properly value nuclear energy as a reliable, affordable and carbon-free electricity resource that is essential to America’s energy future.
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