CLOSE PILGRIM NOW!                                                July 1, 2015
Dear Cape Downwinders,

      This past spring has been a very busy time as we continue our work to close Pilgrim. A meeting with Governor Baker's staff, Mad As Hell Mother's Day rally with two activists heading to court July 15, the March For Our Children raising awareness on the South Shore and Boston, and Rally at the State House bringing together former Governor Mike Dukakis, Senator Wolf, and activisits across the state calling for the closing of Pilgrim, and lobby days at the State House to support legislation that has languished in years past have been some of the actions and efforts CDW activists have been organizing and doing. 
     Our work is expanding as we move to coordinate with the entire state.  Citizens Awareness Network has organized a forum and strategy session in August titled, 'East Meets West-Nuclear Free Massachusetts', as we join efforts to close Pilgrim.  Cape Downwinders coordinates closely with MA Downwinders as we expand off Cape and become part of a coalition of the state-wide action group.
    Cape Downwinders communications goes Google! The CDW general meeting agreed to replace our current method of email communications from the 'riseup.net' 'talk' and 'announcements' to one email group: [email protected].  As of July 5, this positive change will update our efforts for more efficient and effective communications.  Google.groups email will allow photos, larger files, and inclusive information sharing between CDW activists. Your email address will be transferred from 'riseup.net' to [email protected].  The invitation to join must be accepted in order for you to send/receive on that link. If you don't receive an invitation via email by July 5, please contact Diane at [email protected] or Susan at [email protected].  So watch for the Google invite!  Let's keep communicating!
5.20.15 Meeting with MEMA and Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs 
It looks like the current administration at the State House might be paying attention.  In response to the Cape Downwinders 3.11.15 joint letter to Governor Baker following the two winter storm shutdowns (with Boston Downwinders, Occupy HIngham, On Behalf of Planet Earth, No More Fukushimas, and MA Downwinders), the Governor's office arranged a meeting on 5.20 with MEMA Director Kurt Schwartz and other representatives from MEMA and the OEE to hear our concerns. Representative Sarah Peake and Senator Wolf's senior advisor Seth Rolbien joined the group. Director Schwartz informed the group that Cape Codders are not the only population at risk. He stated that 'swaths of Boston' may also need to be relocated. The Governor's staff asked for a follow up meeting. We will continue to press to meet Governor Baker to call on the NRC to close Pilgrim.  So we updated the map below to clarify where we are in the MEMA plans.  Not acceptable!

Legislation
Senator Wolf's bills in Committee
Both of Senator Wolf's bills on spent fuel fees and decommissioning have been referred to the committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy.  Hearings for all bills on Pilgrim are yet to be scheduled.
Pilgrim Watch's Mary Lampert has written a well researched summary of the bills:
Lobby Days in Boston
CDW and a coalition of groups have met with staff and members on the Joint Committee on Public Health and the Joint Committee on Public Safety to support the Pilgrim legislation. Our next lobby day is TBA. To join in, contact Diane at [email protected] or  Susan at [email protected] 
Actions:
Mad As Hell 
Mother's Day Rally
 Plymouth Report

Sarah Thacher pulled off a powerful Mother's Day in Plymouth with speakers Bill Maurer and Jodi Cardoza, poetry by Susan Carpenter and Marge Piercy, music by Anne Goodwin and Tom Fettig with Leona Bombaci on drums.  Thanks to Rodney Lewis, Elaine Dickinson, Maxine Wolfset, and Paul Rifkin for photos.  
After the rally at the park and a wonderful energizing march with Anne Goodwin singing 'Downwind Uprising', Elaine, Paul, Clare Stella, and Robert Miles stepped forward to call attention to the criminal actions of Entergy.  While waiting for police transport, Clare became overcome by the heat and taken to the hospital. Robert joined her. Elaine and Paul were arrested and charged with trespassing. Attorney Benji Hiller, AttorneyJeff Feurer, and Attorney Lee Goldstein have offered pro bono legal counsel. 
The next court date is Wednesday, July 15.  

Call to Action: 

EVENT: Rally to support Mother's Day Rumble 2

DATE: Wednesday July 15,  2015

TIME:  Assemble at 7:45AM 

LOCATION: Sidewalk opposite driveway entrance 

to Plymouth District Court, 52 Obery Street, 

 

Plymouth

BRING: signs, banners, passion, etc. 

After the rally on the street, we will enter the courthouse for the 9:00 start. Please remember no banners/signs, t-shirts with logos, or demonstrations within the courthouse. You will be going through security. No food or drink is allowed and you will be asked to remove jewelry and belts to get through the metal detector.  

Many, many people have told us how encouraging

it is to see active supporters as they head into the

Court complex. So let's cheer on the Rumble 2, their 

attorneys and other supporters!!  

More info, contact Doug Long at [email protected]

  
Read more here about Mother's Day:
Anne's lyrics 'Downwind Uprising'
March For Our Children/Rally at the State House
Updates on the phenomenal March from Plymouth to Boston, Rally at the State House video by John Carlton Foss with Gov. Michael Dukakis, Senator Dan Wolf, Paul Gunter and others, photos by Maxine Wolfset, Harriet Korim, Doug Long and others, videos (in production now), Downwinder Uprising sung by Anne Goodwin with photos (in production) and other ongoing updates to follow at:
Dan Brielmann from www.e-awakening.com is just wrapping up his editing for a documentary on the March.
Reports
Pilgrim Efficiency Study/Maurer and Boyle


Bill Maurer and Brian Boyle completed an efficiency study together for Pilgrim. Their work and graphic is attached.

Bottom line:

  • 34% of the energy produced by Pilgrim's boiling water reactor (BWR) is used to generate electricity
  • 66% of the energy produced in the BWR is discharged into Cape Cod Bay as Thermal Energy, aka Waste Heat, aka Thermal Pollution.

DISTURBING in the context of the:

  • 163 Billion gallons of cooling water seawater pumped from Cape Cod Bay every year
  • 42.5 Trillion BTUs of waste heat discharged back into the bay every year,
  • 19 years that Pilgrim's NPDES permit has been expired,
  • and that status ignored by the U.S. EPA and Mass DEP for the same 19 years.
CDW Pilgrim Radiation Monitoring Network/Cardoza

In an effort to monitor radiation levels around the Pilgrim reactor, CDW has purchased 4 CRM-100 Geiger Counters and software. Jodi Cardoza of Chatham leads this effort to link a series of monitors across Cape Cod and Plymouth, working with the oldest of the independent monitoring networks, Radiationnetwork.com. to document elevated radiation levels in our area. By collecting independent readings, we can correlate with any related activities at the plant and internationally.  If you are interested in participating, please contact Jodi at:  [email protected].  As we determine our baseline readings and grow in our understanding of the data, updates and progress will be reported.   

Who is Lying NOW? NRC, MEMA, FEMA?

Mary Lampert of Pilgrim Watch has initiated a petition to the NRC calling out the lack of assurance of public safety, including evacuation, during storm Juno, as is the current status without a storm. This is glaring and dangerous evidence that the NRC is
opting out to Entergy as profit takes priority over public safety with both MEMA and FEMA complicit.  
Read the petition/letter to Governor Baker:
2.206 petition on emergency planning
PW comment on NRC inspection report
PW Gov. Baker EP letter
Fukushima Photos at the Museum of Fine Arts

ON BEHALF OF PLANET EARTH will be standing outside the MFA in Boston on Wed, July 1, 4-5PM. We will be holding our Fukushima/Pilgrim banner, which says Fukushima is not over and CLOSE PILGRIM NOW.  We are standing there because we LOVE so much the Fukushima exhibit that is there now, photographs and an incredibly honest wider text.

The museum is free on Wed and the time it starts is 4PM and that is the busiest time. We will also be handing out our flyers. Come join us. We will also be doing this next week, same time, same place, July 8.

For more info, contact Sheila at [email protected]
Sierra Club joins call to close Pilgrim  
At the June 16 March For Our Children rally at the
State House, Jerry Frenkil, executive committee member for the MA Sierra Club, called for closing Pilgrim. 
Read his full statement here:

Calendar
July Events
7.4  Wellfleet Parade

We need marchers and folks to sit at a table in front of Abiyoyo on Saturday, July 4.  To join in the parade, meet at the pier between 9 and 9:30 am.  We'll follow the monarch butterflies in the parade, bring all the kids you know!  Wear a hat, comfortable shoes, bring water.  Please wear your "Swim East" t-shirt if you have one.  We also need folks to staff the table in front of Abiyoyo; if you can sign up for a shift (9 - 10:15 or 10:15 - 11:30 am) please contact Yvonne Barocas at [email protected]

7-8 Cape Downwinder meeting, 5-7:00 PM Hyannis Public Library

7-15 Rally at the Plymouth District Court House/Support Elaine and Paul

7-19 CDW Summer Pot Luck Party at Eliane's home, 56 Hillcrest Drive, Harwich. Come join the fun! Please  RSPV to Elaine at [email protected]

7-22 Cape Downwinder meeting, 5-7 PM Hyannis Public Library

Upcoming Events:

8-8 East Meets West: Making Massachusetts Nuclear Free

When: Saturday August 8, 2015 at 11:00 AM.

Where: GCTV, 393 Main St, Greenfield, MA.

What: CAN is organizing a forum in August to unite forces in Massachusetts to shutter the Pilgrim reactor and replace its power with sustainable energy solutions. It's time for Massachusetts and the tri-state community to kick Entergy out of New England. Representatives from Cape Downwinders, Pilgrim Watch and others will participate in the forum. Join Us!

8-26 Pilgrim:  A Threat To Us All talk sponsored by the Friends of Hyannis Public Library, 7:00 PM

Guest Commentary
Our Pilgrim Allegory
by Susan Carpenter

Cape/MA Downwinders | | [email protected] | www.madownwinders.org