Living in the Shadow of Entergy Nuclear's Vermont Yankee Reactor

Fires, cracks in vital components, emergency shut downs, lost radioactive waste, a grossly inadequate and under-funded decommissioning plan, and a collapsed cooling tower are but a handful of incidents and doubt that define the nearly 40 years of operation at Entergy's Vermont Yankee nuclear facility. Since Entergy purchased Vermont Yankee in 2002, the inefficiency, unreliability and dangers have only increased. As the facility continues to age and more strain is placed upon its structures and components, we are continually faced with the uncertainty of its operation. While Vermont Yankee crumbles, we worry. As the out-of-state Entergy Corporation continues to mislead Vermonters and our elected representatives, we must review the destructive past and recognize the harm further operation will have on our state.

Nuclear Waste
Over one million pounds of high-level radioactive waste now sits on the banks of the Connecticut River. This equates to over 35 million curies of cesium, a toxic alkali metal, residing in Entergy's nuclear waste pool. Annual solid waste is expected to increase by as much as 18% according to a Nuclear Regulatory Commission environmental impact assessment. This enormous amount of spent fuel is currently stored in a single spent fuel pool, created only as a temporary repository for high-level waste. Entergy plans to move the oldest spent fuel into "dry cask" storage, which will be indefinitely stored on site. There is no permanent solution to safely store radioactive nuclear waste. Ratepayers and taxpayers will likely pay for the cost of long-term radioactive waste storage.

Radiation
Vermont Yankee releases radiation into the atmosphere every day. It exceeded 20 millrems of radiation at the fence line per year three times since 1998. Vermont Yankee has released over 400,000 curies of air-borne pollution over the last 35 years. While Entergy, federal and state officials have dismissed the significance of these readings, the BEIR VII report, an exhaustive study done by the National Academy of Science, concludes that any amount of ionizing radiation is dangerous to humans.

Furthermore, statistics released by the Radiation and Public Health Project show that the death rate from cancer in Windham County has risen from 1% below the state average to 10% above over the last 20 years. Additionally, death rates for infants, children and young adults, those most susceptible to radiation exposure, range from 13% to 37% higher than the rest of the state. These findings raise serious questions regarding threats to public health and warrant swift analysis of the implications, something that has yet to be undertaken.

Frequent Mishaps Jeopardizing Health & Safety
The following is a short representative list of significant events that occurred on the grounds of Vermont Yankee since its purchase by Entergy. These events are a symptom of a hap-hazard and cavalier approach to maintenance. Entergy defers maintenance in order to make a profit and our safety and surrounding landscape are at risk.

On August 21 2007, a portion of Vermont Yankee's cooling tower collapsed causing Entergy to immediately cut production
below 50%.
On August 30 2007, an emergency shutdown (SCRAM) due to a stuck valve took Vermont Yankee completely offline. Estimates put the cost to Vermont ratepayers at tens of thousands of dollars.
On June 18, 2004 Vermont Yankee's main transformer caught fire and caused the reactor to automatically shut down. Approximately, 10-20 gallons of toxic transformer fuel reportedly entered the Connecticut River.
As of August 2007, nearly 70 cracks have been identified in Vermont Yankee's steam dryer.
On April 20, 2004, Entergy announced it was missing 2 radioactive fuel rods. The misplaced fuel rods were not found until July

Entergy Nuclear's Vermont Yankee is the Past
For nearly 40 years, we have been living in the shadow of Vermont Yankee. The everpresent fear of a potential radiological accident, costly and time-consuming monitoring and planning, frequent mishaps polluting the surrounding environment and posing public safety hazards, and the sapping of local resources into an out of state corporation have plagued citizens of this state for long enough. Entergy Vermont Yankee is an economic disincentive to the development of clean, safe power initiatives...our future energy economy. The closure of Vermont Yankee and a new, clean, affordable energy future will leave the uncertain and toxic days behind.

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Pull The Plug Solar Panel Raffle

HELP PULL THE PLUG ON VERMONT YANKEE TODAY WHILE TAKING A CHANCE AT LOWERING YOUR ELECTRIC BILLS!

Tickets $30.00 each

The Raffle will run through Sunday, November 28 or until 500 chances are sold, whichever comes first. In order to enter the raffle each entrant shall purchase a ticket online at www.vtcitizen.org or in person at events throughout the duration of the raffle. Tickets purchased online will be mailed to the participant upon verification of payment.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Thanks for your support and good luck!

The sponsor of this raffle is the Vermont Citizens Action Network, PO Box 16, Hancock VT 05748, (802) 767-9131, which is a registered Vermont Non-Profit Corporation. Donations and purchases of raffle tickets are not tax deductible. Participation in this raffle shall be deemed to be your complete acceptance of the terms and conditions herein.

Entry in the raffle is available only to persons over the age of 18 who live in a jurisdiction where the purchase of raffle tickets is legal. You may be asked to provide the Sponsor with proof of age and/or identity to participate in this raffle. Board members of the sponsor or any entities affiliated with or related to the Sponsor shall not be eligible to enter the raffle. For the purposes herein, the term relative shall mean spouse, partner, parent, child or sibling.

Each entrant shall be entitled to make multiple entries into the raffle. Each ticket shall be priced at $30.00. A maximum of 500 chances will be sold. In the event that the Sponsor deems an entrant to have acted in bad faith, such entrant shall be excluded from the raffle and consequently deemed ineligible to win the Prize, as defined below.

The prize for winning the raffle shall be determined based on the total number of tickets sold as follows: (a) one-half of the proceeds of the raffle, up to a maximum amount of $4,000 if less than 280 raffle tickets are sold or; (b) a solar electric (PV) system consisting of panels and inverters with a wholesale value of $4,000 (retail value of approximately $4,600) provided by The Greenfield Solar Store, 2 Fiske Avenue, Greenfield MA 01301, (413) 772-3122 if 280 to 500 tickets are sold.

Only one prize will be awarded. Chances of winning may vary based on the total tickets sold but will be no more than 1:500. The Sponsor shall execute a random drawing, which shall take place before January 1, 2011. The exact date and location will be announced prior to November 28, 2010 via our website at vtcitizen.org. After the drawing, the winner will be contacted via telephone and email. If, for any reason, the winner fails to respond within thirty (30) days to the notification of his/her winning or if the winner fails to pickup the prize within thirty (30) days of notification of arrival, such winning entrant shall be deemed to have forfeited his / her claim to the prize and the sponsor will conduct a secondary drawing to select a winner. The sponsors decision is final with respect to all matters relating to awarding of the prize and shall not be subject to review or appeal by any entrant or by any third party.

Your participation in the raffle is deemed your agreement that the Sponsor may use your name, likeness or image for promotional and marketing purposes without the requirement for any payment to you and you hereby grant the Sponsor the right to do the same and expressly waive any claims against the Sponsor in this regard. The Prize is neither transferable nor exchangeable. By entering the raffle, each entrant unreservedly agrees to these terms and conditions, which govern the raffle and the awarding of the prize. By entering the raffle each entrant agrees to release, discharge and hold harmless the Sponsor, its legal representatives, affiliates, subsidiaries, agencies and their respective officers, directors, employees and agents from any damages whatsoever suffered, sustained or allegedly sustained in connection the Raffle or the acceptance of the Prize.

The winner shall be solely responsible for any taxes, installation, storage, delivery or other fees levied in relation to the receipt of the prize. The winner shall be responsible for arranging for delivery or pickup of the system at Greenfield Solar Store, 2 Fiske Avenue, Greenfield MA 01301, (413) 772-3122 upon it's arrival. The Sponsor reserves the right to alter these terms and conditions at any time and in its sole discretion. The Sponsor reserves the right, at any time, to cancel, modify or suspend the raffle if, in its sole judgment, the raffle is not capable of being conducted as specified. The winners names will be disclosed to anyone who writes to the sponsor at its physical address. These terms and conditions and any matters relating hereto shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Vermont and jurisdiction over any and all disputes shall be exclusive to the state and federal courts in Vermont. All sales of tickets to this raffle are final and 100% non-refundable.

Thanks for your support and good luck!

Purchase Benefit Tickets

Save the Date: Aug. 15

Local Release Party for "Come Over"

The Organ Barn at Tree Frog Farm in Guilford, Vermont

CD Release Party Poster Please join Patty Carpenter and the Dysfunctional Family Jazz Band for the launch party for their new CD, Come Over, at the Organ Barn at Tree Frog Farm in Guilford, Vermont. In addition to a premiere performance of the new album, including spoken word sections and narrative with Verandah Porche, there will be a summer's picnic, and a musical ramble and dance concert featuring some of the best musicians from Boston, New York and the local area.

The release party is a benefit in support of the efforts of the Vermont Citizens Action Network (VCAN) to close the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Plant. Time to Celebrate our Victories and Marshall our Resources. And to kick out the jams!

You don't have to be anti-nuclear to want to close Vermont Yankee.