A civic activist and 2008 presidential candidate of the Socialist Party USA, expressed his concerns about two new power projects in Florida at a Nuclear Regulatory Community Hearing Thursday evening in Crystal River (Citrus County) Florida.  His criticism was over the environmental impact of proposed construction of two new nuclear power sites for nearby Levy county, as well as his overall opposition to the existence of all other nuclear power projects nationwide.

Brian P. Moore, a nearby Hernando County resident,  antiwar critic and frequent adult baseball league player in the parks of Citrus County, where the hearing was being held last evening, also testified on the negative environmental impact of the yet-to-be-built nuclear power plants in nearby Levy County.  Moore indicated that the construction effort alone would cause havoc underground as well as in the nearby Gulf of Mexico waters, on its shores, as well as to the fish and fowl that occupy the surrounding Levy County areas of the proposed construction sites.

The former Socialist Party candidate held up two colorful signs during his short testimony at the end of the evening session, one sign in large red letters stating "No Nuclear Power Plants," and the second sign in red, stating "Phase Out All Nuclear Power Plants."  At the bottom of the sign, it also spelled out his affiliation with the Socialist Party.

Moore had used the same bright signs at a previous nuclear regulatory meeting in Crystal River in June, as well as at other events during his 2008 presidential campaign.

The 65-year-old Moore, a semi-retired executive health care recruiter from Spring Hill, Florida, indicated that the platform of his political party, the Socialist Party USA, "opposes any new nuclear power projects" and calls for their "rapid phase out," plus, a "ban on exporting and importing of such hazardous and dangerous materials." 

After testifying before the federal regulators, which was the last presentation by members of the audience, Moore mingled with the crowd, speaking with both anti-nuclear power people (some from out-of-state), as well as introducing himself to the Florida Progress Energy Power representatives, who are promoting the projects, and representatives from the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission as well.

Moore engaged Budd Haemer, Senior Associate of  Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, a Washingotn, DC law firm representing the power company.  The Hernando resident also spoke at length with Douglas Bruner and Anthony Bowers, the Project Manager and Specialist, respectively, for the Emergency Preparedness Office of Nuclear Security & Incident Response.

Moore conveyed to Mr. Haemer, and his Progress Energy Associates, that he hoped Stephen Colbert, the Central Comedy comedian on TV, would invite Moore back to his program to state which was the "right direction to take, nuclear power or not."  Moore was confronted by Cobert in early October as a candidate as to whether he was "the true socialist, or if President-elect Obama was really entitled to that name." 

Moore received a nervous laugh from the power company people after raising his question.

 

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