What is your solution, Colonel? Would you close down all of the coal mines? Please explain in detail how they would operate if you were in charge.

 

My solution would be to close down coal plants and replace them with nuclear pebble bed reactors.

My solution would be to close down coal plants and replace them with nuclear pebble bed reactors.

Good luck with that. Where would you store the radioactive waste after replacing our largest source of fuel for electrical power generation? Obama has blocked the use of the safest site in the country for spent fuel storage and pebble reactors produce a greater volume of nuclear waste than older technologies do.

Good luck with that. Where would you store the radioactive waste after replacing our largest source of fuel for electrical power generation? Obama has blocked the use of the safest site in the country for spent fuel storage and pebble reactors produce a greater volume of nuclear waste than older technologies do.

 

Except it's a lower grade of radioactive waste. And for some scale, although only about 9% of the United States' energy is currently nuclear, we still only presently produce about 2,000 metric tons of radioactive waste per year. Up that to 100%, and you're still only talking a little over 22,000 metric tons of waste per year. Also, assuming continued research can up renewable energy sources, which currently produce about 8% of our energy, then you can work at reducing that 22,000 ton number.

Except it's a lower grade of radioactive waste. And for some scale, although only about 9% of the United States' energy is currently nuclear, we still only presently produce about 2,000 metric tons of radioactive waste per year. Up that to 100%, and you're still only talking a little over 22,000 metric tons of waste per year. Also, assuming continued research can up renewable energy sources, which currently produce about 8% of our energy, then you can work at reducing that 22,000 ton number.

If there are no approved facilities to store the nuclear waste, then it does not matter that it is less radioactive. Also, you are not factoring in the greater volume that a pebble reactor would produce. Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't believe that the U.S. has any full scale operational pebble reactors.

 

I am in favor of building pebble reactors in this country but there is no need to exaggerate the dangers of coal mining to make your case. Nor is there any need to dismiss the risks and challenges of pebble reactors.

 

If Obama is unwilling to open the Yucca Mountain facility, then it is unlikely that the environmental extremists who oppose all coal mining will ultimately support populating the landscape with new pebble reactors. This is a whack-a-mole game to the left and coal is simply the most convenient target at this time. When the time comes, they will exaggerate the dangers of pebble reactors, just as they have done with coal. The modern Luddites will always find a cause to protest technology and capitalist endeavors.

If there are no approved facilities to store the nuclear waste, then it does not matter that it is less radioactive. Also, you are not factoring in the greater volume that a pebble reactor would produce. Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't believe that the U.S. has any full scale operational pebble reactors.

 

I am in favor of building pebble reactors in this country but there is no need to exaggerate the dangers of coal mining to make your case. Nor is there any need to dismiss the risks and challenges of pebble reactors.

 

If Obama is unwilling to open the Yucca Mountain facility, then it is unlikely that the environmental extremists who oppose all coal mining will ultimately support populating the landscape with new pebble reactors. This is a whack-a-mole game to the left and coal is simply the most convenient target at this time. When the time comes, they will exaggerate the dangers of pebble reactors, just as they have done with coal. The modern Luddites will always find a cause to protest technology and capitalist endeavors.

 

You are correct. There aren't any full scale pebble reactors in the US at current. And I agree that the path to making them happen is a difficult one with a lot of road blocks, but that doesn't mean I don't still support it.

 

And for what it's worth, please let me know where I exaggerated the dangers of coal mining to make my case.

You are correct. There aren't any full scale pebble reactors in the US at current. And I agree that the path to making them happen is a difficult one with a lot of road blocks, but that doesn't mean I don't still support it.

 

And for what it's worth, please let me know where I exaggerated the dangers of coal mining to make my case.

1. You posted a photo and implied that mud flowing into people's yards is common place. It isn't. I am also curious about what, if anything, the mining company responsible for the mudslide did to make things right with the property owner. The companies that I have worked for would have reacted quickly to help mitigate the damage and to make the owner whole. That is just good business.

 

It's also true that some people look at such situations as their chance to cash in by refusing help and filing a lawsuit. Greed is at least as widespread among the poor as it is the wealthy. Most people just want you to make things right after such an incident, but there are others who just want you to make them rich.

 

2. You posted a photo purporting to show that mining companies do not plant trees following reclamation. That is not true, and given the rate at which trees grow, one would not be able to see young seedlings in a photo of a recently reclaimed mine anyway.

 

I know that it is not your responsibility to undermine your own position on mining, but Massey spent many millions of dollars cleaning up the slurry spill and the company did not wait for the government to order them before starting its massive clean-up effort.

 

If I recall correctly, the spill was caused when an old mine beneath the dam suddenly collapsed. The slurry impoundment design was reviewed and approved by the federal government and Massey was following the approved plan. Engineering is not an exact science and human error and unforeseen geologic conditions will sometimes cause the best design to fail.

 

I appreciate your honesty in saying that you would shut down all coal fired power plants. I don't think that is economically feasible, but this country should already have a few pebble reactors built. Renewable energy is not cost effective and I doubt that it will ever have a much larger share of the energy market than it has now. Unless fusion becomes practicable in the next few years, this country will need to increase its dependence on nuclear fission power and building a few new reactors would keep us from falling further behind the French in the technology.

1. You posted a photo and implied that mud flowing into people's yards is common place. It isn't. I am also curious about what, if anything, the mining company responsible for the mudslide did to make things right with the property owner. The companies that I have worked for would have reacted quickly to help mitigate the damage and to make the owner whole. That is just good business.

 

It's also true that some people look at such situations as their chance to cash in by refusing help and filing a lawsuit. Greed is at least as widespread among the poor as it is the wealthy. Most people just want you to make things right after such an incident, but there are others who just want you to make them rich.

 

2. You posted a photo purporting to show that mining companies do not plant trees following reclamation. That is not true, and given the rate at which trees grow, one would not be able to see young seedlings in a photo of a recently reclaimed mine anyway.

 

I know that it is not your responsibility to undermine your own position on mining, but Massey spent many millions of dollars cleaning up the slurry spill and the company did not wait for the government to order them before starting its massive clean-up effort.

 

If I recall correctly, the spill was caused when an old mine beneath the dam suddenly collapsed. The slurry impoundment design was reviewed and approved by the federal government and Massey was following the approved plan. Engineering is not an exact science and human error and unforeseen geologic conditions will sometimes cause the best design to fail.

 

I appreciate your honesty in saying that you would shut down all coal fired power plants. I don't think that is economically feasible, but this country should already have a few pebble reactors built. Renewable energy is not cost effective and I doubt that it will ever have a much larger share of the energy market than it has now. Unless fusion becomes practicable in the next few years, this country will need to increase its dependence on nuclear fission power and building a few new reactors would keep us from falling further behind the French in the technology.

 

Agreed.