This is the second annual NIX MOX DAY, an opportunity to educate the public, the news media,  decision makers, and our elected officials.

What is MOX?
MOX stands for Mixed OXide nuclear power fuel, a mixture of uranium and plutonium.

Why oppose MOX?
Plutonium is a highly toxic element.  It is used in bombs because of its explosive power. Commercial nuclear power reactors were designed to use uranium fuel, not plutonium. MOX fuel will accelerate the aging of the reactor’s  internal parts and increase the risk of accident.  Plutonium in MOX fuel makes a reactor accident more dangerous to human health.  MOX reverses the U.S. policy banning plutonium-fueled power reactors.

What can we do about it?
A blizzard of letters and calls to officials.  Feel free to use information in this action alert.

On or before May 17:

1 - Call or write the US Department of Energy.  Ask for formal public hearings on MOX to be held in cities near the nuclear reactors selected for MOX: Charlotte NC ,  York  SC, and Charlottesville VA.

Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson
1000 Independence Ave. SW
Washington, DC 20585
Fax  (202) 586-4403

2 - Call or write Duke Energy and Virginia Power and ask them to pull out of the international business consortium which would make and use MOX.

Duke Energy
Richard Priory, President & CEO
526 South Church St.
Charlotte, NC 28202-1904
phone (704) 594-6200
www.duke-energy.com

Virginia Power
Norman Askew, CEO
PO Box 26666
Richmond, VA 23261
phone (804) 273-3825/(804) 771-3000
(888) 667-3000
www.vapower.com

3 - Call or write your US Senators and Representatives. Ask them to support formal public hearings on MOX.

US House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515
US Senate Washington, DC 20510
US Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121

4 - Call or write Governors of NC, SC or VA. Ask them to support formal public hearings on MOX.

Governor Jim Hunt  toll-free (800) 662-7952
116 West Jones St.  Raleigh, NC 27603-8001
fax: (919) 733-2120

Governor Jim Hodges (803) 734-9818
PO Box 11829  Columbia, SC 29211
fax: (803) 734-9413

Governor Jim Gilmore (804) 786-2211
Office of the Governor Richmond, VA 23219
fax: (804) 371-6351

Citizens have the right to know about the costs and risks of a plutonium fuel economy and MOX .

plutonium is not “burned”

MOX would be limited to about 1/3 of the fuel core in light water reactors such as Catawba or McGuire.  Of the 20 kg of plutonium in the MOX fuel assemblies, about 15 will remain after irradiation.  Plutonium is created in nuclear reactors, even those using pure uranium fuel.  Therefore, the plutonium created in a MOX fueled reactor will be nearly equivalent to the plutonium destroyed during irradiation.
- Dr. William Wieda, 1997

mox fuel can be made into bombs

“Plutonium from the spent fuel could still be chemically separated and similar plutonium was used to make simple bombs in the 1960’s.”
- Scientific American, von Hippel et al, 1993

plutonium in reactors is a “no-no”

“ The MOX option will undercut the decades-long, bipartisan effort by the United States to make clear that plutonium use for commercial power generation is a “no-no.”  The Administration intends to establish an infrastructure here in the United States to burn “excess” weapons plutonium in civilian power plants.  If this is done, our decades-old non-proliferation policy will begin to unravel, with perilous consequences. I strongly object to the MOX plan.”
- Senator Jesse Helms  April 27, 1999
Senate hearing on nonproliferation, arms control and military issues

For assistance and more information contact:

The BLUE RIDGE ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE LEAGUE
PO Box 88  Glendale Springs, North Carolina 28629
(336) 982-2691    bredl@skybest.com
www.bredl.org