Tuesday, September 30, 2008

New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici Retiring

Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM) served as Chairman of the powerful Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee from 2003-2007. Although he received low ratings for his environmental voting record from the League of Conservation Voters, and even Republicans for Environmental Protection, he leaves a great environmental accomplishment by shepherding the passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Although not generally recognized as such, EPAct of 2005 is probably the signal most important climate change mitigation legislation passed to date because of the provisions to support nuclear power. These plants emit no carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas.

Senator Domenici is retiring because of health reasons; he suffers from frontotemporal lobar degeneration, a degenerative brain ailment. We salute Senator Domenici for his dedication to energy security in the United States. We also wish him well on his journey into retirement. We also offer an invitation: feel free to volunteer with us to continue promoting the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) and our other international energy activities. We could use your help.

AAEA President Norris McDonald is pictured above right with Senator Domenici at Sandia National Laboratory in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the signing of the EPAct of 2005.

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