For a cleaner, more prosperous world, ACC mobilizes conservatives around environmental issues, fostering collaboration in the pursuit of environmental conservation.
The purpose of this meeting was to discuss supporting a potential restart of the Christopher M. Crane Clean Energy Center in Middletown, PA. ACC partnered with Constellation to deliver the following testimonies:
Karly Matthews, ACC Vice President of Communications:
Good afternoon. My name is Karly Matthews, and I have been a nuclear power advocate for more than five years as the communications lead at the American Conservation Coalition. More importantly, I am a proud Pennsylvania native, born and raised in New Freedom, Pennsylvania.
Nuclear power is an essential part of our nation’s energy security and propels us toward a cleaner, more reliable energy future. Here in Pennsylvania alone, we already receive 42% of our electricity from nuclear power, and nuclear accounts for 93% of our carbon-free power. Pennsylvania’s current nuclear fleet prevents 37 million tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere annually. That’s the equivalent of taking more than 8 million cars off the road each year.
Nationwide, nuclear energy is our largest source of clean energy, but we still need more of it. That’s why I’m speaking in support of the license amendment request (LAR) for the Crane Clean Energy Center to start receiving new fuel on-site. Restarting this reactor is not only a win for clean, American energy; it’s a win for the community.
The nuclear industry is known as a strong job creator, supplying Americans with long-term, stable employment. Central Pennsylvania stands to benefit greatly from restarting this reactor, including the creation of 600 stable jobs and even more during regular refueling. The restart alone will create 3,400 direct and indirect jobs.
Moreover, nuclear energy plants are major taxpayers and contribute greatly to the surrounding community. Not only has the Crane Clean Energy Center pledged one million dollars in community donations, but the plant will generate $3.6 million in state and local taxes.
As a Pennsylvanian, I understand hesitations about nuclear power. But I would urge the community to have an open mind about this restart. There are many misconceptions about nuclear power, and I’d like to take a few moments to debunk two of them.
First of all, nuclear power is one of the safest sources of energy at our disposal. Pennsylvania’s four running nuclear power plants supply us with clean energy without incident each and every day. When I have toured nuclear power plants run by Constellation, it’s clear that safety is at the forefront of every operation.
Moreover, all of our country’s nuclear spent fuel could fit in a football stadium, making safe storage onsite a non-issue. Constellation, as all nuclear companies do, has a robust strategy for on-site storage of spent fuel. Fears of oozing green sludge are the result of pure misinformation from the likes of The Simpsons.
As a proud central Pennsylvanian and nuclear energy advocate, I urge the commission to approve the license amendment request for the Crane Clean Energy Center. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sarah Rosa, ACC Policy Director:
Good afternoon, I’m Sarah Rosa, Policy Director for the American Conservation Coalition, the largest conservative environmental organization with 75,000 grassroots members nationwide. As an organization committed to advancing environmental stewardship alongside economic prosperity, we support nuclear energy as a clean, reliable, and safe source of power.
I am here today to express our strong support for the Crane Clean Energy Center’s request to amend its license to receive and store nuclear fuel. America is facing unprecedented growth in energy demand, with experts projecting a surge of up to 16% in the next few years, and as high as 25% by 2030. To meet this challenge while also achieving ambitious emissions goals, we must embrace nuclear energy for what it is: the safest, cleanest, and most reliable energy source available to us today.
Before leaving office, the Biden Administration outlined a plan to triple nuclear energy capacity in the U.S., and the Trump Administration is similarly embracing this clean energy technology. Additionally, Congress recently passed a nuclear energy package with overwhelming bipartisan support. These actions reflect a growing consensus that nuclear energy is essential to achieving our energy and environmental goals.
While building new nuclear power plants will be needed to meet the energy challenges of this century, restarting existing plants, where it is safe and feasible to do so, is a critical near-term step toward securing America’s energy and environmental future. The Crane Clean Energy Center alone would restore 835 MW of clean, emissions-free power to the grid at a time when it is urgently needed. Not to mention that nuclear energy creates high-paying jobs, stimulates the local economy, and enhances both energy and national security by reducing dependence on foreign sources.
While some like to cite the Three Mile Island incident from decades ago, the facts are clear: no one was harmed, and nuclear energy technology has become significantly safer since then. This is not the 1970s. Debating whether nuclear energy is safe or not is a conversation of the past. It’s time to focus on the challenges of today and tomorrow. Not to mention that the Unit 1 reactor at Crane Clean Energy Center operated safely until 2019, when it shut down due to market forces.
Similarly, concerns about spent nuclear fuel are often misguided—nuclear energy remains the only energy sector that fully accounts for and responsibly manages its so-called “waste.” As we work to rebuild the U.S. nuclear energy industry, current storage practices are safe, and Congress is exploring long-term solutions, including the potential to recycle spent fuel.
The Crane Clean Energy Center’s request to amend its license to receive and store nuclear fuel brings us one step closer to bringing a clean, safe, reliable, and secure energy source back online. We appreciate the NRC for its thorough review of this request and commend Constellation for taking meaningful steps to safely and responsibly secure America’s energy future.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment today.
Kacey Shriner, ACC Alumni and Young Professionals Program Director:
Good afternoon. My name is Kacey Shriner and I am the Alumni + Young Professionals Development Director for the American Conservation Coalition. I’ve been a clean energy advocate for four years. Nuclear energy gives us reliable power with zero emissions, a future we all aspire to, which is why I support restarting the Crane Clean Energy Center.
At ACC, we’re helping shape the workforce of the energy future. This project is expected to create 3,400 direct and indirect jobs and add $1.6 billion to Pennsylvania’s GDP.
This project doesn’t just affect Pennsylvanians. I reside in Indiana, where some of my fellow Hoosiers sit in the PJM RTO. Adding clean, reliable power to the energy grid is a win across the 13 states PJM serves. Thank you for your consideration.
Jack Morrissey, ACC North Carolina State Director:
Good afternoon. My name is Jack Morrissey, and I serve as the North Carolina State Director for the American Conservation Coalition.
I’m speaking today in strong support of the license amendment to allow new fuel at the Crane Clean Energy Center — a vital step toward restarting this facility and restoring it as a source of clean, reliable energy.
In North Carolina, we’ve seen firsthand how nuclear power strengthens communities, powers our economy, and reduces emissions — all at the same time.
We host four nuclear plants in North Carolina that provide roughly one-third of our electricity, and over half of our carbon-free energy. These facilities operate safely, reliably, and around the clock — no matter the weather. They anchor local economies, create family-supporting careers, and give us one of the most resilient grids in the Southeast.
Pennsylvania has the opportunity to replicate that same success with the Crane Clean Energy Center.
Restarting Crane would:
● Put 835 megawatts of emissions-free energy back on the grid
● Create over 3,000 direct and indirect jobs
● Inject $16 billion into Pennsylvania’s economy over the next two decades
● Help avoid 61 million metric tons of carbon emissions
And importantly, Constellation has pledged over $1 million in local community suppor—showing they’re not just running a power plant, but investing in people.
I know some folks may raise concerns about spent fuel or safety, but I’ll offer the North Carolina perspective: our communities have safely managed spent nuclear fuel for decades. Our plants have run without incident. And our emergency planning zones are well-designed and trusted.
What holds true in North Carolina can hold true in Pennsylvania. This isn’t just about energy — it’s about leadership. About reclaiming America’s place as a global innovator in clean, scalable energy.
If we’re serious about reducing emissions, growing our economy, and powering the future — nuclear has to be part of the plan. And Pennsylvania has a golden opportunity to lead by restarting Crane.
Thank you to the NRC for your time and oversight. I urge you to approve the license
amendment and help move this project forward.
Tyler Linnebur, ACC Ambassador and Member:
Hello, my name is Tyler Linnebur. I’m a member of the American Conservation
Coalition and a graduate student in Mineral and Energy Economics at the Colorado School of Mines. I’m here today to express my support for the Crane Clean Energy Center’s request to amend its license to receive and store nuclear fuel.
This amendment is a critical step toward restarting a reliable source of carbon-free energy at a time when bipartisan momentum is growing across the country for exactly this kind of solution.
Earlier this year, in my home state of Colorado, we passed House Bill 25-1040; a
bipartisan law that reclassified nuclear energy as a “clean energy resource.” It passed with strong support; 43 to 18 in the House and 29 to 5 in the Senate; and was signed into law by Governor Jared Polis. The bill was co-sponsored by both Democrats and Republicans, reflecting a growing national consensus: that nuclear energy is essential for grid reliability, energy security, and serious emissions reductions.
The legislation also recognized that Colorado’s electricity demand is projected to double in the next five years. It won support from labor unions and transition coalitions who see nuclear as a practical solution for communities impacted by the retirement of fossil fuel facilities. Far from replacing or competing with renewables, this policy reflects an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy; one that’s gaining momentum across the country and increasingly viewed as essential to reaching clean energy goals.
That’s exactly what the Crane restart would deliver. The facility will produce 835
megawatts of carbon-free electricity: power that’s available 24/7, rain or shine. It will create over 600 full-time jobs and thousands more during scheduled maintenance outages, while generating $3.6 billion in tax revenue over the next 20 years. According to the Brattle Group, the restart will avoid 61 million metric tons of CO₂; equivalent to taking 13 million cars off the road.
While concerns about safety and waste are understandable, the U.S. nuclear industry has a long-standing record of safe operation, backed by rigorous oversight and modern technology. Today’s plants feature passive safety systems, redundant protections, and secure spent fuel storage; all under the strict supervision of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The industry has evolved dramatically since the 1970s and continues to be one of the safest forms of energy production in the world.
Approving this license amendment would not only enable a proven clean energy
source—it would send a message that America is serious about meeting its climate goals without sacrificing reliability or economic opportunity. I respectfully urge the Commission to approve this request. Thank you.