Two Giants Leaving Nuclear Energy Institute

April 2007 was a bad month for the nuclear industry because they lost Thelma Wiggins, left, and Chandler Van Orman, right. These two titans were instrucmental in helping to bring about the current rennaissance in the nuclear industry. AAEA had great relationships with these two individuals and we doubt they will be easily replaced. Thanks Thelma and Chandler for your comradarie.

Thelma is off to pursue her passion of Christian counseling and will be relocating to Columbia, SC after 20 years of service in the industry. Chandler recently participated in the Nuclear Power Roundtable at The State of Environmental Justice in America 2007 Conference at the Howard University School of Law. Chandler has retired, but don't think he will not be influential in whatever he wants to do next. We will miss both of you.

Video of Chandler Van Orman Presentation at EJ Conference

Conyers: Key To Environmental Justice & Climate Mitigation

We are convinced that John Conyers is the logical person in the Congress to pass national environmental justice legislation and to mitigate global warming. Environmental justice is as much about social and civil justice as it is about ecology and pollution. But just as the Dixiecrats used 'intent' to discombobulate civil rights laws, unscrupulous manipulators have an easy tool in environmental obfuscation to scuttle environmental justice. So John Conyers, as Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee should introduce environmental justice legislation - - and not just to codify Executive Order 12898, but a bill with teeth (lawsuit provision). The legislation should also have a carrot - - a project endorsement provision. It just so happens that the Environmental Justice Coalition has a bill ready for him to introduce.

We briefly described these proposals to Congressman Conyers during his recent trip to China (photo: AAEA Prez with Conyers in Beijing). Moreover, his district needs help in saving saving the auto industry. Detroit is hurting. Toyota just took over the number one sales position from GM and Ford is barely dodging bankruptcy every year. We are prepared to work with Mr. Conyers to get the Chinese to invest in Detroit. The Chinese should manufacture their new Chery automobile in Detroit. China should also patent and sale a plug-in fuel cell hybrid electric vehicle in Detroit. John Conyers should meet with Hu Jintao to seal the deal.

Patrick Moore Bias Against African American Environmentalist Association

Patrick Moore, right, publicly supported nuclear power in 2005. The African American Environmentalist Association (AAEA) publicly supported nuclear power in 2001. Moore avoids mentioning AAEA as an environmental group that supports nuclear power or Norris McDonald as the first environmentalist in America to support nuclear power. This bias is unfortunate, particularly since AAEA is still the only environmental organization in the United States that actively supports nuclear power. AAEA was also the first environmental group to support nuclear power.

In addition to bringing support for nuclear power from an early member of Canada's Greenpeace, he has evidently chosen to bring the environmental movement's special green brand of elitism too. Maybe it is just a misguided quest to try to rewrite history to make himself the first environmentalist to support nuclear power.

See Also: CASEnergy Coalition Hostile

Evidence:

The Washington Post

The Wall Street Journal

The Hamilton Spectator

E&E TV

Nuclear Energy Assembly Speech

Congressional Testimony

NEI Nuclear Notes Interview (1, ....)

(And numerous other instances but you get the idea)

Of course, Norris McDonald remembers the many years that he was out there all alone without Moore or any of the other 'prominent,' 'international' individuals he consistently mentions. Nothing can change the fact that Norris McDonald was the first environmentalist to publicly support nuclear power in the United States and AAEA was the first environmental organization to do so.

Rev Al Sharpton Holds 9th Annual MLK, Jr. Conference

AAEA President Norris McDonald attended The Ninth Annual 'Keepers of the Dream' Dinner and Awards Ceremony, sponsored by Al Sharpton's National Action Network. The accompanying four day conference featured presidential candidates John Edwards, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Bill Clinton also spoke at the event. The event was held at the Sheraton in New York City.

Awardees included Melody Spann-Cooper (Excellence in Business), W. Frank Fountain (Corporate Executive Award), Rev Dr. Frederick Haynes (Wyatt T. Walker Service Award), Leo Hindrey (Outstanding Business Award), Spike Lee (Humanitarian Award), Soledad O'Brien (Woman of Excellence Award), Forest City Ratner (Community Development Award), Karen Boykin-Towns (Community Service Award) Christopher Williams (Outstanding Enrepreneur) and Richard Womack (MLK, Jr. Labor Award).

The award to Antonio "L.A." Reid was withdrawn over the 'Don Imus' factor.

China: Dynamic Economy & Air Pollution

By Norris McDonald. I recently spent two weeks in China and was astounded by the incredible growth. There were building cranes everywhere. Even though I anticipated seeing fast growth, I was not prepared for the scale of building I witnessed. I was also amazed by the state-of-the-art agricultural practices. Clearly, China is not being covered accurately by the American media. China is building while America is talking and writing.

It was great to be a tourist and visit Tiananmen Square (behind me in picture), the People's Congress (with Board Member Derry Bigby), President Hu Tsingtao's Office complex and the Great Wall. I also took in some nightlife in Beijing, Weifang and Hong Kong. China is a great country and Hong Kong (7 million people) is a mega metropolitan area when combined with its Mainland neighbor, Shenzhen (10 million people).

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Our Condolences To the Families of Virginia Tech Victims

EPA Publishes National U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory

The U.S. EPA has released the national greenhouse gas inventory, which finds that overall emissions during 2005 increased by less than one percent from the previous year. The report, Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse GasEmissions and Sinks: 1990-2005, was published after gathering commentsfrom a broad range of stakeholders across the country. President Bush has a goal to reduce America's greenhouse gas intensity 18 percent by 2012.

Total emissions of the six main greenhouse gases in 2005 were equivalentto 7,260 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. These gases include 1) carbon dioxide, 2) methane, 3) nitrous oxide, 4) hydrofluorocarbons, 5) perfluorocarbons, and 6) sulfur hexafluoride. The report indicates that overall emissions have grown by 16 percent from 1990 to 2005. This report is the latest in an annual set of reports that the United States submits to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which sets an overall framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle the challenge posed by climate change. The inventory also calculates carbon dioxide emissions that are removed from the atmosphere by "sinks," e.g., through the uptake of carbon by forests, vegetation, and soils.

Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2005 Report

Clean Sky Coalition Should Alter Its Advertising Campaign

The Clean Sky Coalition is advertising people with coal on their faces and using the statement, "Face It, Coal Is Filthy." Unfortunately, the image of whites or light skinned people of color with coal smeared on their faces appears to associate darkness with filth. Lose this campaign. Clearly no Blacks were involved with the creation of the ads. Typical.

The images advertised in The Washington Times and on the Clean Sky Coalition website, left, immediately caught our eye -- but for the wrong reasons. Frankly, the campaign is projecting the wrong image to black people. Change your campaign. It distracts from your important message. James Brown might be dead but if he were alive today he would criticize this ad campaign: "Say It Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud - - Just Like Coal."