EFN-NEWS

The Newsletter of Environmentalists For Nuclear Energy

Number 9 - Minutes of the Annual Meeting of 18th November 2000

This newsletter is sent gratis by postal mail to members of the Association of Environmentalists For Nuclear Energy (EFN) who have paid current dues. It is also archived and available to the public on the website of EFN : http://www.ecolo.org

As announced, the third Annual Meeting of the Association of Environmentalists For Nuclear Energy was held on Saturday, 18th November 2000 at 15H00.

The Board of Directors had met beforehand to discuss the state of affairs of the association, to prepare the meeting, and to examine the applications of new members received during the past year. It was decided of accept all applicants who had submitted application forms and paid their dues. Annual dues for the coming year are unchanged: Sympathizing Member: 15, 20 or 25 euros - Active Member : 30, 45 or 60 Euros - Benefactor Member: 75, 150 or 300 euros.

The Annual Meeting opened at 15H00, in a warm and cordial atmosphere to discuss the announced agenda:

- Review of the year's activities and substantive report of the President.
- The event of the year.
- Financial report for the year 1999.
- Local correspondents of the Association.
- Election of the Board of Directors.
- Membership statistics: the growth of the association.
- EFN presentations at expositions: about a million visitors informed by our expos this year.
- Presentation of the Communication Group and lectures given by EFN.
- Visits to nuclear sites.
- Electricity in Brazil.
- Natural radioactivity in Guarapari.
- Mailing lists of EFN.
- Documents on nuclear energy.
- Subcommittees within EFN.
- Orientations and priorities for the coming year.
- How to become a member of EFN.

The President welcomed new-comers and presented a brief survey of the history of the Association since it was founded in November 1996.

A long discussion of nuclear energy then followed. On the international scene, we have seen several new developments this year which confirm the importance of nuclear energy as a clean and environmentally friendly source of energy:

- the price of oil has tripled, going from about $10 to over $30 per barrel. We have long known that the supply of oil was unstable and the price highly variable, and now we have the proof, once again. We can expect price increases and instability to be confirmed in the future as the world's reserves of oil and gas are more and more concentrated in Siberia and in the Persian Gulf, politically and militarily unstable areas.

-this year the IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change) confirmed the reality of global heating. They revised their previous predictions upwards, and strengthened their conviction that the increase is due to the emission of green house gases in human activities.

- COP6 and the Kyoto agreements : It is now clear that many industrialized countries will not abide by the obligations they undertook at Kyoto to reduce their emissions of CO2 and other green house gases. It is urgent that they reduce their emissions not only by 5% as they promised at Kyoto but by at least 50% so as to permit the development of the poorest countries while reducing human contributions to the green house effect.

- the American nuclear safety authorities decided to extend some current licenses from 40 years to 60 years, first for Calvert Cliffs and then for Ocoonee (and others to come). It turns out that nuclear power plants are aging less rapidly than expected and their useful lives can be safely prolonged. The Japanese are even more optimistic and look forward to a lifespan up to 120 years for some of their reactors.

Internationally, nuclear power has functioned excellently well, and by using it we have avoided a billion tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere, if the same amount of energy had been produced with fossile fuels.

In Germany, the political opposition has committed itself to reverse Chancellor Schroeder's decision to end the nuclear program just as soon as they return to power, because clean nuclear energy would otherwise be replaced by more polluting sources, and because windmills and conservation are not enough to face the energy needs of the German population.

In Sweden, the Number 1 reactor of the Barseback power station (615 MWatts) has been shutdown for purely political reasons and in response to a referendum to abandon the use of nuclear energy in the early 1980s. This despite the fact that nuclear power is clean and environment-friendly and is now supported by a vast majority of the Swedish population in opinion polls. However, the decision to shut down Number 2 reactor has been postponed; and the shortfall of energy due to the shutdown of Number 1 has not been replaced by renewable energy, as the Swedish Greens had promised to do, but rather by particularly polluting coal imported from Poland and Denmark.

In China, the Daya Bay power plant (900 MWatts) built by Framatome has paid back over half its investment in less than five years and works like a charm. It thus contributes to the reduction of China's consumption of a particularly polluting kind of soft coal - lignite mined in the west and burned in the power plants of the industrialized east.

Finland is planning to build a fifth reactor - the decision is to be made in 2001-2002. There is no other solution to the power needs of Finland if it is to abide by its Kyoto engagements.

In France, Greenpeace continues its campaign against La Hague. In reaction COGEMA has launched a campaign of "transparency" by installing "webcams" - camcorders situated at different places inside the plant with their results continuously displayed on the website. By going on line at http://www.cogemalahague.fr , one can see the live images of La Hague 24 hours a day

Jacques Frot pointed out that 2/3 of the world's energy is consumed by 20% of the world's population. The consumption per capita in the developing countries is on the average one tenth that of the industrialized countries. In other words, if in 50 years' time the developing countries reach the level of the advanced countries, and if the advanced countries keep their present level of consumption, world consumption will triple. This would considerably increase atmospheric pollution, global warming, and the rate of exhaustion of fossil fuel resources. So we have to save energy, be more efficient and produce the energy we need cleanly. Nuclear energy would seem to be the only clean energy which might supply a substantial part of the world's energy needs 50 years from now.

The association has grown this year and at an increasing rate, especially on the international scale (see below). Our numbers are greater than ever. The number of lectures has also increased, thanks to the action of our Communications Group, and to our lecturers, especially, Michel, Alain and Jacques (more details below).

The internet site is being translated into several languages and every day we get messages of support from all over the world.

In brief, EFN continues to develop its program and its membership at top speed, and even faster than we had anticipated.

The book "Environmentalists For Nuclear Energy" is about to appear in English. Translations are in progress in Rumanian, Russian, German, Italian, Portuguese, Czech and Slovenian.

We thank you all!

It is, of course, that our position has been espoused by none other than Professor James Lovelock, FRS, one of the fathers of the environmentalist movement and pioneer of ecology since the 1960s. He is the author of the famous Gaia Theory which considers that the biosphere and the atmosphere of our planet behave like a self&endash;regulating living organism. James Lovelock is a brilliant research worker and inventor, Doctor Honoris Causa of many universities throughout the world and Fellow of the Royal Society. He is also and perhaps especially a mythical personality in the environmental world where his books have been sold by the millions. He is one of the few really independent thinkers in the field. He has agreed to suppport EFN and he has written an excellent preface to appear in the English version and in future printings of the book "Environmentalists For Nuclear Energy".

The accounts for the year 1st January to 31st December 1999 were presented to the Annual Meeting. The accounts are in French francs.

We note that the level of receipts and expenses remains modest. This is made possible by the fact that the association functions completely on the basis of volunteer contributions of effort. Each one participates as best he can so that the association's work is carried out with operating costs kept to the barest minimum.

In view of the expansion of our activities both in France and abroad, which leads us to spend more and more on communications, it would be desireable if not urgent to increase the association's income.

After the presentation of accounts, the Annual Meeting proceeded to a vote for the approval of the financial report for 1999. The accounts were approved unanimously.

The association today has members, supporters and 41 local correspondents (up 32% from last year) in over 30 countries on five continents:

- in all regions of France.
- in Europe: Germany, Belgium, Bulgaria, Spain, Finland, Great Britain, Hungary, Italie, Greece, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Albania, Russia, Rumania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Turkey and Ukraine.
- in North America: in Canada and in about ten States of the USA.
- in South America: in Argentina and Brazil.
- in Asia: Taiwan, Korea, Japan and Iran.
- in Africa: Morocco.
- in Australia.

Anyone who wishes to help develop our activities can become a local correspondent in his country, in his region, in his city, in his work place... All he has to do is fill out and submit the membership application form (available on the website at <http://www.ecolo.org> ) and have his application accepted by the Board of Directors of the association.

The local correspondent is under no obligation to pay dues or to attend meetings. His role is simply to provide local voluntary support for the objectives of the association to whatever extent he can.

The role of the local correspondent is to contribute to making the association known to those around him, by speaking to friends, colleagues or neighbors, by circulating the petition and accumulating signatures, by setting up local contacts, by putting an article in a local newsletter, en organisant une conférence ou une visite de site nucléaire, etc. All ideas and suggestions are welcome. Since we want to take advantage of all good will, it may occur that there are two or more local correspondents in the same country, region or even in the same city. In this case they form a local group and coordinate their activities.

Article 11 of the By-laws of the Association requires the Annual Meeting to elect the Board of Directors.

The Annual Meeting voted to re-elect the previous Board:

President : Bruno COMBY, graduate of the Ecole Polytechnique (X80), nuclear physicist, author of ten books on health and the environment, including the famous bestseller "Environmentalists For Nuclear Energy"

Vice-president : Professor Henri JOYEUX, medical surgeon and professor of Medicine at the Montpellier Medical School, International Cancer Prize, editor of the "Human Ecology" collection of Editions de Guibert.

General Secretary : Hubert CHOPIN, magistrate and vice-president of the Higher Court of Justice of Troyes.

Deputy Secretary : Michel NORAZ, retired, organic gardener, member of the city council of Greville-Hague.

Treasurer : Pierre-Yves VINCENT, expert accountant in a firm of accountants.

As of 14th November 2000, EFN had 4028 members and supporters. We were 3494 a year ago (on 26 November 1999). EFN has grown over 15% this year.

The symbolic level of 4000 members and supporters has been exceeded in less than four years.

You may recall that we had set our initial objectives as follows:

- to have 100 members and signers of the petition at the end of the first year
- to have 1000 members and signers of the petition at the end of the second year
- to have 2000 members and signers of the petition at the end of the third year
- to have 3000 members and signers of the petition at the end of the fourth year;

numbers which have been largely exceeded!

The association continues to grow as more and more people become aware of the environmental advantages of nuclear energy - that it is clean and environmentally friendly.

This year EFN presented its activities to the public in the framework of several expositions and professional shows.

That series of expositions and professional shows gave us the opportunity to make the public aware of the importance of questions about energy and the environment, and to answer questions put by the public concerning nuclear energy and its impact on the environment. About a million people visited the expositions and professional shows in which we took part. Public reception was warm and honest. People asked many questions, particularly about nuclear waste products and their treatment and about many rumors which circulate: the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, the safety of the transport of nuclear materials, discharge from the plant at La Hague, what to do with nuclear waste and the impact of nuclear energy on public health in general. Many of our visitors are pleased to be able to learn and to discuss these questions, and many are glad to sign the petition. A few anti-nuclear activists (which represent a very, very small minority of the general population) do not share our point of view, and then we may have a passionate discussion which never fails to attract the attention of other visitors.

Overall, everything goes calmly and in good humor at these shows. We seem to see a diminution of the strong opposition of a small number of resolutely anti-nuclear persons who would be ready to do anything to defend their convictions, although we still observe a few such reactions here and there.

EFN was the victim of a violent agression by anti-nuclear environmentalists at a show at Tours on 5th June 1999. The agressors have been hailed into court. The president of EFN and two volunteers (Monique and Jean-Marie Lecocq) were present at the stand that day and were publicly insulted, threatened, and agressed by very hostile agressors for over half an hour, and then they began to take down the stand without autorization and in the face of the peaceful protests of the EFN volunteers. The organizers of the show, apparently anti-nuclear themselves, would not put a halt to the agression and refused to call the guards. The case is before the Superior Court of Tours, but we don't know the outcome yet; of course, we will keep you informed. We note that such sporadic hostile reactions are in general not the work of the public visitors, but almost always come from members or sympathizers of anti-nuclear organizations or pseudo-independant organizations who pretend to be pacifists, but who do not hesitate to violently attack those who do not share their radical anti-nuclear views.

Most visitors to these shows are indeed very happy to hear to something new and to discover that there are many environmentalists in favor of nuclear energy.

It appears that the overall result of these expositions, in terms of human relations, communications, exchanges, distribution of information and contact with the public is very positive and we intend to continue the program next year.

Our thanks to all who helped to set up and attend the stands, to present the activities of EFN at these expos; particularly Jean-Claude, but also Jean-Marie, Monique, Serge, Hubert, Armelle, Delphine, Nicole, Perceval, Alain.....

This group led by Jacques Frot (retired from the oil industry) consists of 15 competent and motivatred "communicators". Jacques presented the very positive result of their activities.

In point of fact, energy is a vast lacune in the public knowledge, and there are many cliches and false ideas floating around, which need to be clarified and demystified.

Most people have no idea about how a nuclear power plant works, about the impact of different sources of energy on public health and on the environment, about how nuclear wastes - and others - are treated - or not, about how power stations are dismantled at the end of their working life, etc. They do not realize that information given out by the public authorities, by the anti-nukes and by the news media is often incomplete and biased.

Nothing can be compared to the exchange between a competent and enthusiastic speaker and the audience. That is why the EFN's GR COM gives lectures on the theme of nuclear energy in various European countries and in North America.

The principle of organization is simple. Standard lecture modules concerning different forms of energy and their environmental impact are prepared including pedagogic support and transparencies. This year about 60 such lectures were organized and presented. Their object is to better inform the public by providing information as complete and as objective as possible.

The lectures given by EFN's GR COM are delivered to the following audiences: schools and universities, members of the health professions, social-professional organizations, city halls and cultural centers, clubs and associations, etc.

Of course the speakers adapt their discourse to the level of the audience.

After the lecture the audience is invited to ask questions, whether on the subject of the lecture or on related subjects - no taboos, no restrictions.

In a little over a year after the inauguration of the GR COM program, over 100 such lectures have been given.

EFN has participated in public and environmental meetings, at schools and universities, before clubs and associations and, this year for the first time, has been invited by the American Nuclear Society to speak at their conference in the New World.

These lectures have been attended by over 5000 persons. The results of GR COM were roundly applauded by the Annual Meeting, and wishes were expressed for their further success.

See the up-to-date program of past and future lectures on GR COM's website: http://www.ecolo.org/conferences/

This year delegations of EFN visited the following sites in the framework of its communications activities:

The nuclear power station at Civaux for the initiation ceremonies of EDF's new 1450 MW pressurized water reactor (PWR).

The laboratory for underground storage of nuclear wastes at Mol in Belgiium; this is part of an international research program to study in situ and in full scale the feasibility and long-term safety of deep geological storage of radioactive waste. You will find photos of that visit on the website at: http://www.ecolo.org/photos/visite/mol_00/

Guarapari in Brazil, one of the most naturally radioactive places in the world; see a more detailed account below. You will find photos of that visit on the website at: http://www.ecolo.org/photos/visite/guarapari_00/

The nuclear power station at Angra in Brazil, with two pressurized water reactors, one American and the other of German design; the latter has just gone critical and begun production, . For photos of that visit see the website at: http://www.ecolo.org/photos/visite/angra_00/

The BR2 reactor in Belgium, unique in that it is dedicated to the study of the materials of construction of nuclear reactors. Various nuclear environments can be simulated in it.

The BR3 reactor in Belgium, presently being dismantled. It was the first pressurized water reactor in Europe.

Since the creation of EFN, our delegations have also visited the following sites:

• the nuclear fuel reprocessing plant at La Hague (twice),
• the nuclear power station at Penly with two 1300MW reactors,
• ANDRA's experimental site for an underground repository for highly active long-lived nuclear waste at La Chapelle-Baton (Vienne department),
• the Superphenix fast neutron reactor (fast breeder) (1450 MW),
• the Marcoule plant for treatment of liquid discharges,
• the Phenix fast neutron reactor, also at Marcoule,
• the Centraco plant for packaging low level waste, and
• Melox, the plant producing MOX fuel elements (mixed oxides - uranium and plutonium).
• EFN's Canadian correspondents organized a site visit to the nuclear center at Chalk River, Ontario

The following site visits are planned for next year:

• the nuclear power station at Blayais, in December 2000,
• several other visits yet to be determined.

Brazilian electrical energy is mostly hydraulic. However there are limits to this resource and to its further growth:

• the most economical sites have already been exploited;
• the needs of the country are growing regularly, especially in the industrialized south;
• hydraulic energy is characteristically seasonal, and the seasonal variations are out of step with the seasonal demands;
• hydraulic energy production is situated mostly in the north and in Amazonia while the energy consumption (population and industries) is concentrated in the south, around Sao Paulo and Rio de Janiero, some 3000 kilometers away.

These considerations have led Brazil to build power stations in the industrialized south, near Rio, Sao Paulo and Belo Horizonte. In addition to many classic fossil-fuel plants, which are polluting and emit green house gases, there are two nuclear reactors on the Angra site.

Brazil has signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). It has no nuclear weapons ambitions and its reactors are under the surveillance of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Angra 1 is a Westinghouse PWR (USA) of 600 MW which has run without problems for many years.

Angra 2 is a Siemens/KWU reactor of 1200 MW which has recently come on stream after about twenty years of delay due to political hesitation. As we saw for ourselves, its high level of technology and safety provisions are exemplary. It's regrettable that such a plant was built and then not allowed to function for such a long time, especially since the delays have led Brazil to build some fossil-fuel stations to satisfy the demands of the economy. It must be said that the powerful national oil company Petrobras is very influential in Brazil; this may explain the hesitations and delays, at least in part.

The national electric network is very unstable with demand exceeding production. The least unbalance may give rise to dramatic consequences with one power shedding after another. It is threatened with a total collapse at any instant for lack of generating power. The entry on stream of Angra 2 has temporarily relieved the situation.

In view of the increasing demand for electricity, for the good of the environment and to limit the emission of green house gases, it is urgent to begin building Angra 3 and other nuclear power stations so that Brazil may continue its economic development with clean and environmentallly friendly energy rather than build more fossil fueled power stations with their consequent pollution.

EFN has recently participated and given a conference in a symposium on nuclear energy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from June 26 to 29th, 2000.

The presentation given by EFN has been widely applauded, and the other conferences were of high quality, with an international scope, and very interesting.

After the symposium, we have visited the ANGRA nuclear power plant located a few hours south of RIO de JANEIRO. Photo of EFN's representant visiting the ANGRA nuclear power plant :

http://www.ecolo.org/photos/visite/guarapari_00/braz00angra+bc.jpg

After the visit of the ANGRA nuclear power plant, I then spent one week in the coastal city of GUARAPARI, a city known for its high natural background radioactivity, and paradoxically (*), also for its benefits on human health (GUARAPARI is a famous health resort in Brazil).

GUARAPARI is located about eight hours driving distance north-east of Rio de Janeiro. The object of the trip was to investigate and measure as thoroughly as possible the natural radioactivity emanating from monazite (which contains thorium) in this city.

The brochures presenting the city (distributed by the local office of tourism) are entitled "GUARAPARI, cidade de saude" (city of health). It is a coastal station well known in Brazil, and abroad, for its beneficial health effects, due to its radioactivity ! The inhabitants of GUARAPARI are very proud of the high level of thorium from the sands of GUARAPARI, and one of the main hotels in the city is the THORIUM HOTEL (see pictures on EFN's web site below).

The average level of background natural radiation measured by EFN in GUARAPARI and on its beaches are in effect significantly higher than elsewhere in the world. I have measured peaks up to 40 microSv/h (equivalent to about 400 mSv per year) of gamma radiations on PRAIA PRETA. These peaks are punctual in time (not permanent), and variable depending on the atmospheric conditions, probably resulting from the release into the atmosphere of radioactive gases (namely thoron, gamma emitter) descendants of the disintegration of thorium from the earth/sand/monazite.

GUARAPARI has 76 000 inhabitants, which seem to accomodate quite easily with this natural radioactivity. In fact, they are even proud of it and many inhabitants regularly go to the beaches to cover themselves with the black sand containing the monazite on the beaches of GUARAPARI, which has a long standing history (several centuries) of a miraculous reputation for its curative virtues.

Even before the discovery of radioactivity, in the past centuries, GUARAPARIAN parents tought their children about the beneficial effects of the black sand, and the art of lying on the beach and recovering the whole body (head excepted) with it, during about 10 minutes, several times every month, to benefit from it.

The "monazite sand" is easy to identify on the neach due to its blackish color, contrary to the ordinary (poor in thorium) white sand.

As early as 1910, the monazite in GUARAPARI has been industrially exploited for its high concentration in thorium, and other mineral elements (see pictures below, photographed from an old book, presenting the history of GUARAPARI ; this ancient book is now out of print and almost unfindable, but EFN has been able to take the pictures below and consult one of the unique copies of this book that still exists).

GUARAPARI is one of the most ancient cities of Brazil. It has been founded by jesuit priests coming from Europe to convert the local populations to christianism, which built the first church of GUARAPARI in 1585, less than one century after Christopher Columbus discovered the american continent.

Nowadays, every morning, it is possible to see some persons (brazilians or sometimes people coming from far away to this intent) on the most radioactive beach of GUARAPARI, covering their bodies with the black sand of monazite, taking a "bath of natural radioactivity" : scientifically, it is not proven whether this is as beneficial for human health as the GUARAPARIANS say it is, but it would be in accordance with the well documented hormesis effect (beneficial health effects of higher doses of natural radioactivity). The president of EFN has tested these "baths of natural radioactivity" : it is very pleasant, one feels all "energized" after about 10 minutes, with a pleasant tinkling sensation inside the entire body, similar as after a reasonably short sunbath. At least, I can now assure you, that levels of radiation even up to 400 times higher than the usual background radiation elsewhere in nature, doesn't kill you immediately. Since bathing in the monazite sands of GUARAPARI, I am a living proof of this fact...

As long as GUARAPARIAN memories recall, the only persons having measured the radioactivity in GUARAPARI before EFN seem to be : the CNEN (National Commission of Nuclear Energy of Brazil). A few years ago, GUARAPARIANS recall that a team of Japanese scientists and journalists had come to GUARAPARI to investigate this subject. They arrived in the city equipped with anti-contamination white clothing, wearing special shoes, protection equipment and breathing masks, as if a major catastrophy or contamination had happened, only to measure the natural radioactivity! This had much impressed (and amused) the local population which was, as usual, sunbathing and for some sandbathing on the beaches. EFN seems to be the third organization to make precise measurements of the radioactivity in GUARAPARI.

Given the existence of this natural radioactivity higher than elsewhere, and GUARAPARI's reputation as "city of health", it would be quite useful if we could have more precise data on the health of the inhabitants of the city of GUARAPARI.

Such a study evaluating the global health of GUARAPARIANS does not exist, therefore I have established a protocol for such a study and worked intensely during my seven day stay in GUARAPARI, in order to prepare a local epidemiological study in cooperation between the INSTITUT BRUNO COMBY and the university of GUARAPARI :

ESTUDO DA SAUDE DA POPULACAO DE GUARAPARI

The first phase of this study will be to gather the data about the longevity (life expectancy) of the city's inhabitants and to compare it to that of other similar cities in Brazil. The second phase will be to better comprehend and evaluate the health and lifestyle of GUARAPARIANS, not only concerning radioactivity, but also evaluating the other major lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol, nutritional habits...) which may play a role in determining the population's health. In addition to consuming the delicious local fruits, coconuts, and local fish, smoking, alcoholic beverages, and fried foods are indeed part of the lifestyle for many of the inhabitants. Nevertheless, they seem to be in relatively good health. It will be interesting to have more precise data about the health of GUARAPARIANS.

A small book entitled "GUARAPARI, city of health, and its radioactivity" may be written in the future to present the study's results to the public. This book could be made available in several languages (Portuguese, English, and French).

The photos of EFN's preliminary investigations in GUARAPARI can be seen on the internet :

http://www.ecolo.org/photos/visite/guarapari_00/

We hope that this study will contribute to a better comprehension of the effects of the exposition to natural radiations on human health.

I have brought back home some samples of GUARAPARIAN black monazitic sand as well as normal white sand from the same beach to have it analyzed and determine its mineral composition, and more specifically determine the level of thorium it contains.

Do not hesitate to send us your reactions about this study, as well as your suggestions as how could be financed the pursuit of this study which we consider essential for a better comprehension of the effect of natural radioactivity on human health.

 ___________________

(*) This paradox is only apparent, and isn't a paradox at all if one takes in consideration the hormesis hypothesis (which suggests that, contrary to the noxious health effects of very high doses of radioactivity, the low doses of radioactivity, such as can be found in nature, even in GUARAPARI, are natural, that we are adapted to them, and that they are beneficial for human health).

EFN has two mailing lists, in French and in English, with about 1000 names on each. The lists have grown substantially the last year.

This service is gratis and available to those who are not even members of the association. To be kept uptodate on EFN you have only to subscribe on-line with your e&endash;Mail address. You may have either the French version or the English or both. Don't forget to subscribe again if your e-mail changes.

Many documents on nuclear energy are available on EFN's website in .DOC or .PDF or .HTML format, and in English, French and Italian. New documents are added regularly. See: http://www.ecolo.org/documents/

Each subcommittee works in close cooperation with the board of directors of EFN :

- The communication group of EFN (GR COM): is led by Jacques Frot with the help of Michel, Alain, and Bruno - it is composed of 15 authorized lecturers).

- Legal affairs: Hubert, Raoul (attorney at the Paris bar), and Bruno.

- Membership management : Jean-Claude and Bruno.

- The CSPI/La Hague group : Michel and Jean-Paul.

- Strategy and general organization: the Board of Directors.

- American affairs : Berol Robinson.

Our orientations and priorities for the coming year are:

- the growth of the Association. The next target is to reach the symbolic milestone of 5000 members and supporters.

- increase the number of local correspondents and our international activities. In particular we have in mind specific actions and perhaps to create an independent "EFN" in the USA.

- installation of a system for payment of dues by credit card. This will speed the international development of the association and facilitate the new memberships from around the world.

- continuation of activities to inform the public :

• participation at fairs and shows
• lecture program of the communication group GR COM
• mailing lists of EFN
• modernization of the website: the website has had over 20 000 visitors since it was put into operation. We intend to make technical improvements, to introduce a new architecture of the site with "frames" and a more convenient presentation, to install a guestbook, modernize the petition, propose new pages and documents, and to add several other languages as translations become available.

Spread the good word about EFN around you wherever you are - all volunteer help is welcome!

The Annual Meeting ended at 8 P.M. and was followed by a healthy organic buffet supper.

The next Annual Meeting will be held: in the autumn 2001.

You may join the e-mailing list of EFN; it's gratis. All you have to do is to subscribe on line as explained. You may also join and support EFN by filling in the application form which is found on the website at :

http://www.ecolo.org/subscri/subscrien.htm   (click on this address when connected to the internet to access it)

SUPPORT ENVIRONMENTALISTS FOR NUCLEAR ENERGY! If you share our views, sign the petition and join the Association. You can become a sympathizing member for only 20 Euros, and a donating member for 100 Euros which includes subscription to the newsletter. Membership is valid for one year. If you are already a member, you may renew your membership now. No matter when you renew your membership, it will be extended for a full year after the date of expiration of your present membership. Thank you for joining EFN and for your support of environmentally clean nuclear energy.