VOL. 2 NO. 1
OCTOBER 1980 STUDENTS Ti UNIVERSITY
~ wi,Carten In a few weeks the citizens of this country will select the next President of the United States. In order to choose wisely people must know the various candidates' views on certain issues. Below is a comparison, extracted from The Sierra Club Bulletin, of Jimmy Carter's, Ronald Reagan's and John Anderson's stands on environmental issues. ERGY CARTER originally campaigned as a skeptic who viewed nuclear power as only a "last resort". But he has since appointed two pro-nuclear secretaries of Energy, and his administration has consistently worked for more light-water reactors. Carter took strong early stands against the breeder reactor and nuclear proli ration, but these positions have wakened in the last year. He accepted a good set of recommendations on nuclear waste disposal but he also supports awayfrom-reactor storage proposals opposed by environmentalists. REAGAN says that nuclear energy is "the cleanest, most efficient and the IOOst economical" energy source with "no environmental problems". Accuses nuclear opponents of stirring up "national hysteria over nuclear energy". Favors reprocessing nuclear wastes to solve the disposal problem and believes that Carter's concern that reprocessing could encourage proliferation of nuclear weapons is "foolish". ANDERSON has a record as one of the most steadfast nuclear proponents in Congress, consistently supporting the industry in vote after vote. In his presidential campaign, Anderson has sounded much IOOre cautious on nuclear energy, calling for increased safety and a temporary moratorium on new plant licenses. But it appears that he forsees a
resumption of nuclear development once certain changes have been made and proper waste facilities have been constructed. SOLAR ENERGY AND CONSERVATION CARTER stressed conservation as the cornerstone of his energy policy and supported deregulation of energy prices to encourage it. Has increased overall government spending on conservation and advocated some regulatory approaches to stimulate conservation. Carter envisions meeting 20% of the nation's energy needs with solar energy by 2000. But his appointees at DOE have not
support d this objectiv and hav opposed funding to achi v this goal. REAGAN supported, as governor, th public utilities' efforts to encourage massive increases in en rgy consumption. Refers to solar and other renewable-energy technologies as "exotic" and believes that energy conservation will slow down economic growth. Reagan believes that solar and conservation ar "not viable alternatives to coal and nuclear power".
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