Shut Down Vermont Yankee?

Montpelier, Vermont - August 19, 2008

A group opposed to Vermont Yankee has collected more than 12,000 signatures calling for the nuclear plant to shut down. It comes at the same time Yankee is launching a PR campaign to say why it should stay open.

This clash is all in advance of what will be a big issue at the statehouse: should Yankee be relicensed and operate for another 20 years after it's license expires in 2012? Both sides are trying to win over the public and get lawmakers attention.

"This is a grassroots campaign," says Paul Burns, of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group.

VPIRG spent the summer knocking on doors in 112 towns. They say of the 29,000 Vermonters contacted, 12,000 agreed to sign a postcard to send to lawmakers calling for the shut down of Yankee.

"Each card represents a Vermont family looking for change in the way we generate power and they are coming from families...

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