10/14/2009 6:00:00 AM
Supervisors support a nuclear plant here
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KINGMAN - Could nuclear power be an option for Mohave County? At least two county supervisors think so.
"Why not? As long as it provides a big enough benefit to the residents of the county and it didn't draw water from an aquifer," said Supervisor Gary Watson.
A nuclear plant, if done right, could provide much-needed jobs and tax revenues for the county, he said.
Supervisor Buster Johnson also thinks it's a good idea.
"We (the Board of Supervisors) should be looking ahead," he said. With Lake Mead dropping, the federal government could shut down some of the turbines at the dams along the Colorado River.
Those facilities provide power to California, Nevada and Arizona. Arizona would probably lose a fight over the remaining power, he said. The county needs to look at alternative ways to generate power.
Johnson's been looking at the idea of a nuclear plant for a few years and has been actively working on it for just over a year, he said.
"We need a power company to step forward," he said.
"I haven't been able to engage one on such a project. Solar power seems to be the soup du jour."
A conglomerate of power companies would probably be needed to build a nuclear plant because of the high construction cost, Johnson said. He already has a location within his district in mind, but he declined to say where that location is.
The plant wouldn't need to use groundwater or Colorado River water, he said. The Palo Verde Nuclear Plant in Tonopah uses effluent.
The plant would bring in jobs during the many years of construction and after it was finished, Johnson said. It would also provide the county with millions in property tax dollars, just like the Palo Verde plant provides millions of tax dollars to Maricopa County, he said.
Supervisor Tom Sockwell wasn't so sure of the idea of nuclear power.
"I don't think we have the water for it," he said. "We've been having enough problems with solar plants."
Mohave County residents answering an unscientific online poll at kdminer.com also seem to have mixed views on the idea.
Out of the more than 1,000 residents responding to the poll, 599 said they would support a nuclear plant, 330 said they would not support it and 150 said maybe they would support a plant.
Online comments on the poll from residents ranged from those threatening to move out if a plant was built and concerns about the safety of the plant and water, to those touting the safety record and cheap energy produced by existing plants.
To check out those comments or vote on the poll, visit www.kdminer.com.
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Posted: Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Article comment by:
ROBERT MARQUEZ II
I was thinking, the one way for Kingman to generate revenue is to have a reality show of what "Small Town Mentality" is. Willie: Chernobyl was the ignorance of the former USSR, 3-Mile Island released 20 Curies of Iodine-131... that was it! Toby: I don't think a Nuclear Plant is going to hire people from Home Depot, try Navy Nuks that are grads from colleges like Old Dominion University or Thomas Edison College. In other words, the work force would be imported! Realist: Unless you are paying a thousand dollars per bedroom for property tax (Like New Hampshire, where I am) You don't know what high taxes are! Californians are still flocking to Arizona for the "low cost of living" that you are all spoiled by. Rex: Can you please explain what actual "Nuclear Waste" is going to be created anytime soon especially if it is a brand new plant? Lets talk about the "Waste" your car creates in the air every time you use it.
Do any of you have college degrees or in a professional field and NOT get your news or information from some rubbish source or conspiracy web site? I truly believe Kingman needs to get off their [rear ends] and push forward into the 21st Century like the rest of the planet!
Posted: Monday, October 26, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Green jobs, green people, and green animals, sounds super!
Posted: Sunday, October 18, 2009
Article comment by:
Rex
Until they figure out what to do with the expended nuclear waste they are already generating talk of more nuke plants is sheer insanity. And talk about property values...having a nuke plant in the area is a real downer. Is this all these guys can come up with? Fire them next chance you get.
Posted: Friday, October 16, 2009
Article comment by:
Ed
Mariah - "That money could help our mayor get some of his goals done." what makes you think a nuclear power plant could be built within the city of Kingman?
Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009
Article comment by:
Realist
In case no one has noticed, many small business are closing due to the high property taxes and lack of activity. High taxes do not make sense with the decline in R/E values. If something is not done, Kingman will be a Ghost town with the only people left being the retired individuals who are fighting against all developments. Everyone should be applauding large projects that want to come in, and quit finding the same excuse to stop the growth. I say growth, but right now, it doesn't look good.
Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Hooray for the Supervisor's, finally someone has got a little sense in this county! Jobs, jobs and more jobs, give these kids a future, and get some higher educated people in these communities and change that jr. college into something worthwhile. Kingman's new effluent plant is going to put us on the map yet besides Rt 66 and looking at the old places along Rt 66 that's a real drawing card lol! Mayor Salem is the best thing to happen to this town since it's inception. Let the people opposed to progress move, they are nothing but a negative force.... absolutely more and more will take their place!
Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009
Article comment by:
ruby
Relax everyone! I was at the meeting yesterday, and to no avail; they passed everything! citizens will no longer be able to have comments at these meetings! where is our freedom of speech? are we turning into obomaites? where is their thinking? waste water from silverado? what a laugh! where are the residents of this community? there are none! remember the things that are taking place now, when voting time comes around.
Posted: Thursday, October 15, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
@ NNP
An amusement park? Are you kidding? That's the Kingman spirit right there. "Get them dang tech-nee-kal jerbs outta ma town! Get them cotton candy vend-ers and trinket peddlers up 'n' runnin instead!"
Posted: Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Article comment by:
Ona
hmmmmm I wonder what county legacy family has just the right property for this project? Since Buster is for it, you know it will not be anywhere near Lake Havasu. Keep tuned fellow citizens!
Posted: Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Article comment by:
Mariah Wilson
I think this nuclear power plant would be just what we need to bring some revenue in. Like Watson and Johnson said we could bring in millions of dollars in property tax because of this power plant. That money could help our mayor get some of his goals done. Honestly it makes me mad that people are threatening to move because of this plant. If it’s such a big deal then leave. If you don’t want to help your community and county then just leave. I really don’t see why people are trying to discourage this great idea. They’ll make sure that this plant doesn’t hurt our people, animals, and our air.
People should support this idea. It would open up a lot of job opportunities, and it will bring revenue. What more do you people want?
Posted: Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Article comment by:
Toby Christensen
If the Home Depot had a hard time filling job openings because many applicant couldn't pass a simple drug test, how difficult do you think it will be for workers here to pass the clearance level for a nuclear power plant?
Posted: Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Article comment by:
willie
I say if Gary and Buster are for it they could build two one in Lake Havasu and the second one next to Mayor Salem's house or the Vice Mayor and Supersize's house. Problem solved! And as for you that feel the young people need to work at a Nuclear Plant, have you forgotten they must have a College Degree in something like Science, Engineering,Physics, not a GED or High School Diploma. And has anyone forgotten Three Mile Island and Chernoble. I am not sure the young people even know what that is or better yet was!
Posted: Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Article comment by:
Elizabeth
What! no Department Store in Kingman, what is the problem?
I understand the are 40,000 people here, is that correct? I haven't seen much in 10years.
Sr98ZX
Posted: Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Great idea. A good way to use vast AZ land. Connect the it to Kingmans waste water. 30,000 people's waste water should take care of the water problem. It has also been said that a desalinization plant can be built in Baja, Mexico. I dis agree with this. The desalinization plant must be kept in America. Build it in CA, have CA get there water from this plant, and use the water that was going to CA for AZ and the new plant. You have jobs for CA and AZ. Works good for everyone.
When can you start? We need jobs before a war starts!
Posted: Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Article comment by:
LuLu
Yeah, an amusement park to bring in tourists? hahaha
Sounds like Flint Michigan. Spend millinos on all kinds of tourist drawing projects and their closed in 6 months (as seen in the documentary 'Roger and Me')
Listen, the citizens expectations means squat, stop making silly comments!
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