Ask Your Senator to Oppose HB2774 -- It allows for siting of Small Modular Reactors without state or county siting requirements

HB2774 NOW: small modular reactors; co-location (Carbone) preempts counties – except Maricopa and Pima – from regulating the location of these small modular nuclear reactors if they are co-located with a large industrial electricity user – data centers. We already have data centers located here pretty indiscriminately and using enormous amounts of water and electricity – providing very few jobs. Why give them even less accountability, especially in rural areas where our water resources are even more constrained?

HB2774 also says small modular reactors are not subject to requirements for a certificate of environmental compatibility (CEC), if they are being co-located with a big electricity user, and the bill allows a small modular reactor to replace a gas plant or other thermal plant that received a CEC without getting a new CEC. This is also a bad idea as the impacts and concerns about nuclear are different from those about fossil generation. The same safety risks, waste management, and nuclear weapons proliferation issues plague small modular nuclear reactors as with large ones.

Small Modular Nuclear Reactors are Expensive and Risky.

We need flexible clean energy solutions that respond to the growing demand for energy now, not in a decade or more. When regulatory bodies and legislatures are busy focusing on nuclear, they are not passing laws and approving permits for solar, wind, battery storage, energy efficiency, and more solutions that are ready to implement today. There are no SMRs operational in the U.S. today.

Tell you Senator to Vote No on HB2774!

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Please Vote No on HB2774 and Say No to fewer protections regarding small nuclear reactors

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HB2774 (NOW: small modular reactors; co-location) preempts counties – except Maricopa and Pima – from regulating the location of these small modular nuclear reactors if they are co-located with a large industrial electricity user – basically data centers. We already have data centers located here pretty indiscriminately and using enormous amounts of water and electricity – plus providing very few jobs. Why give them even less accountability, especially in rural areas where our water resources are even more constrained? HB2774 also says small modular reactors are not subject to requirements for a certificate of environmental compatibility (CEC), if they are being co-located with a big electricity user, and the bill allows a small modular reactor to replace a gas plant or other thermal plant that received a CEC without getting a new CEC. This is also a bad idea as the impacts and concerns about nuclear are different from those about fossil generation. Small modular nuclear reactors are expensive and risky. The same safety risks, waste management, and nuclear weapons proliferation issues plague small modular nuclear reactors as with large ones. Claims that small modular nuclear (SMR) plants are safer, cleaner, and cheaper have not been proven in the real world, where cost overruns have canceled projects. While billions are invested to prop up experimental technology, we are losing precious time to implement real energy solutions that are ready, affordable, and effective today. We need flexible clean energy solutions that respond to the growing demand for energy now, not in a decade or more. When regulatory bodies and legislatures are busy focusing on nuclear, they are not passing laws and approving permits for solar, wind, battery storage, energy efficiency, and more solutions that are ready to implement today. Please vote No on HB2774!

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