Page 18 3'*’t jportlanò (Phserlirr HOUSING special edition April 6, 2011 Opinion articles do not necessarily represent the views o f the Portland Observer. We welcome reader essays, photos and story ideas. Submit to news@portlandobserver.com. New Prices Effective May 1 ,2 0 1 0 Martin Cleaning Service Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Residential & Commercial Services Minimum Service CHG. $45.00 A small distance/travel charge may be applied CARPET CLEANING PWTivay PREPARlhfr FOR. W 2 Cleaning Areas or more $30.00 Each Area f HEW (SENERATÍ p MS x ,, J Pre-Spray Traffic Areas (Includes: 1 small Hallway) 1 Cleaning Area (only) $40.00 Includes Pre-Spray Traffic Area (Hallway Extra) Stairs (12-16 stairs - With O ther Services): $25.00 Area/Oriental Rugs. $25.(X) Minimum Area/Oriental Rugs (Wool): $40.00 Minimum Heavily Soiled Area: Additional $10.00 each area (Requiring Extensive Pre-Spraying) UPHOLSTERY CLEANING Sofa: $69.00 Loveseat: $49.00 Sectional: $ 109 - $ 139 Chair or Recliner: $25 - $49 z /,% Throw Pillows (WM Other Services): $5.00 ADDITIONAL SERVICES • Area & Oriental Rug Cleaning • Auto/Boat/RV Cleaning • Deodorizing & Pet Odor Treatment • Spot & Stain Removal Service • Scotchguard Protection • Minor Water Damage Services SEE CURRENT FLYER FOR ADDITIONAL PRICES & SERVICES Call for Appointment (503) 281-3949 Nuclear Power Rips off Taxpayers Profits are private, but risks are borne by public by R yan A lexander We have all watched the nuclear em ergency that fol lowed Japan's tragic earthquake and tsu nami with fear and sym pathy for those in the sur rounding com m unity and adm ira tion for the brave crew s working to reduce the harm and risks of radiation exposure. M eanw hile, the evidence of partial nuclear m eltdown at the Dai-ichi nuclear pow er station in Fukushim a has created a flurry of activity on Capitol Hill. Lobbyists for the nuclear industry are w alk ing the halls and hosting closed- door sessions with lawmakers and their staff to squelch any con cerns that a sim ilar disaster could happen at any of the 23 U.S. reac tors o f the same design. N aturally, one o f the first ques tions we are all asking ourselves is: could this happen here? If noth ing else, this tragedy has re minded us how dangerous nuclear pow er can be, and how difficult it is to re spond in the event o f an unforeseen disaster. N uclear power in the United States has always operated with a strange di chotom y: the profits are private, but the risks and liability are borne by the public. The nuclear industry is one o f the most heavily subsidized energy sectors and has been since its develop ment in the 1940s. One practically incalculable subsidy com es from the 1957 Price-A nderson Act, which pro vides for the federal (read: tax payer) assum ption o f liability in the event o f a catastrophic acci dent. Like offshore oil drilling compa nies, the nuclear industry has a cap on what it has to pay in the event of a major accident. And as we saw with the BPoil disaster, the true cost of restoring the surrounding envi ronment after an accident can cost far more than what the company is required to pay. Taxpayers share the industry's costs o f going through the pro cess of getting a license to oper ate. We subsidize the industry by assuming the financial risk if com panies endure delays or go bank rupt while trying to build a nuclear reactor. And, if there's a delay because regulators raise a safety, security, or financial concern, tax payers pick up the tab. Those are just a few of the many ways taxpayers pay to prop up the nuclear industry. We also pony up billions more through feder ally backed loan guarantees. Taxpayers are already on the hook for more than $ 18 billion in guarantees for loans financing the first new U.S. nuclear reactors slated for construction in a gen eration. President Barack O bam a’s proposed 2012 budget would add $36 billion more. Last year, the Energy Depart ment awarded its first guarantee to Southern Com pany in Georgia. Next in line is a project in Texas that is to be partially financed by Japan-based Toshiba. For years, the nuclear industry has lobbied Congress to maintain friends in the right places. In addi tion to keeping the regulatory wheels greased, this helps them increase and maintain their subsidies. At the end o f the day, w hether you support nuclear power or not, subsidizing and thereby a rtifi cially lessening the nuclear power industry's financial risks is just plain fiscally irresponsible. If nuclear power can com pete on the open m arket, then it should foot its own bills. But if private lenders find the risks too great, then the industry will rightfully stall. Taxpayers shouldn't shoul der this burden any longer. Ryan Alexander is president o f Taxpayers fo r Common Sense, a nonpartisan fe d e r a l budget watchdog.