----- forwarded message ----- Date: Fri, 01 Dec 2000 13:11:43 -0500 From: michael mariotte <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: URGENT! Stop K2/R4! ACT NOW The U.S. government is preparing to decide its position on funding for the proposed K2/R4 reactors in Ukraine, which are supposed to replace the last Chernobyl reactor (scheduled to close December 15, but it shut down earlier this week and may never be restarted). The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), of which the U.S. is the largest member, is meeting to vote on this loan to Ukraine on December 7. A new safety study done for the Austrian government confirms that these reactors can never meet western safety standards. Moreover, while Ukraine does need help meeting its energy needs, its nuclear infrastructure is basically in collapse--the last thing they need are two more reactors to try to operate and maintain. Please take one minute when you receive this to call the White House, 202-456-1111 or 202-456-1414, with a simple message: urge the U.S. to vote AGAINST the K2/R4 project next week; no new reactors in Ukraine! If you have time, please call your Congressmembers as well (202-224-3121) and alert them that the U.S. may be preparing to vote for this unnecessary and unsafe project--throwing away taxpayer (i.e. YOUR) dollars in the process; Ukraine is unlikely to be able to repay this loan. There is a lot of new background information on K2/R4 available on NIRS' website, www.nirs.org. For those with just a little more time, it would be helpful to try to get some of this material to the media, which so far has been ignoring this issue. THANK YOU! >From environmental groups across Ukraine and Eastern Europe and Michael Mariotte NIRS
