Line item by Rep Jim Marshall will look at “the feasibility of developing nuclear power plants on military installations
- By April Murelio -
According to a report in The Macon Telegraph, Rep. Jim Marshall is trying to get nuclear plants built on military installations. Contained within the 650-page House Defense Authorization bill for 2010 is a line item by Rep Jim Marshall that could bring a host of national security and energy issues to the forefront. The proposal would commission a study, due from the Pentagon by June of 2010, to look at “the feasibility of developing nuclear power plants on military installations.”
The bill recently gor approval from the U.S. House of Representatives, while the Senate debates its own authorization bill this week.
While Marshall cautioned that “we’re simply studying the possibility of using military bases,” his proposal is a response to the military’s desire to make its installations energy independent from public power grids.
“It’s important to the military that they have clean, efficient, secure energy,” Marshall said. “And then the nice thing about military installations is that they can help address one of the concerns about nuclear energy, and that is security.”
Marshall, whose Georgia district encompasses Robins Air Force Base, is certainly aware of the political controversey that comes with any proposal that could build a nuclear power plant in his district.
“I know there’s controversy associated with nuclear power,” Marshall said. “I’m prepared to tackle the controversy if need be.”
As Marshall is quick to point out, the U.S. Navy operates many of its vessels, including submarines and aircraft carriers, using nuclear power.