Sunday, February 07, 2010

No Taxation with Radiation Act of 2010


Everybody complains about the weather, but nobody does anything about it. Here's a modest proposal for change.



Executive Overview: fast-track nuclear power plant construction by
  1. giving the US Department of Energy exclusive regulatory power over plants that choose to operate under the provisions of this act,
  2. giving a single "rocket docket" court exclusive original jurisdiction over all nuclear claims,
  3. creating a ten-mile tax-free zone around all operational nuclear power plants and a tax-free zone in each county that agrees to and is approved to accept nuclear waste, and
  4. providing for tax-free nuclear bonds and a $10,000 guarantee for individual investors.
I. The name of this Act is the "Climate Change Security Act of 2010."

II. All current and proposed nuclear power plants in the United States may elect whether to operate under the provisions of this Act [hereafter, "CCSA Plants"]. Plants that choose not to operate under the Act shall be subject to all relevant state and local laws but shall be exempt from all requirements of this Act other than the national security regulations promulgated by the Department of Defense. CCSA Plants are hereby exempt from all state and local environmental, labor, and public utility laws and regulations.

III. The United States Department of Energy [hereafter, "DOE"] shall promulgate comprehensive regulations for the construction, operation, and decommission of CCSA Plants. The DOE shall issue all necessary permits for the construction, operation, and decommissioning of CCSA plants.

IV. The United States Department of Defense [hereafter, "DOD"] shall promulgate national security regulations to ensure the safety of all nuclear power plants, nuclear materials, and nuclear waste, whether or not the nuclear power plant elects to operate under the provisions of this Act.

V. One new federal district court shall be established at [Kansas City, Missouri] with exclusive original jurisdiction over all challenges to the construction, operation, or decommissioning of a CCSA Plant. This CCSA Court shall be provided with enough judges and staff to decide the average case within one month or less. Appeals from the CCSA Court shall be made to the D.C. Court of Appeals.

VI. CCSA Plants are hereby authorized to sell tax-free construction bonds [herefter, "CCSA Bonds"]. The United States Treasury shall guarantee individual investors the first $10,000 of investments in CCSA Bonds.

VII. All individuals with a primary residence within ten miles of an operational nuclear power plant that was constructed under the CCSA shall be exempt from personal federal income tax. All individuals with a primary residence in a county that agrees to and is approved to accept nuclear waste shall be exempt from personal federal income tax.

VIII. CCSA Plants may elect to opt out of the CCSA if their State enacts a specific procedure for doing so. Opting out of the CCSA shall not affect the federal income tax liability of persons within a ten miles radius.

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