Tournament: umkc | Round:  | Opponent:  | Judge:
Contention One: Nuclear Leadership

Nuclear power development is hampered by ineffective incentives and low natural gas prices – failure to stimulate development collapses US nuclear leadership

Domenici and Miller, 2012 (Pete, former senator and senior fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center; Warren F, PhD in Engineering Sciences from Northwestern and recently served as assistant secretary for nuclear energy at the U.S. Department of Energy; “Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Global Nuclear Energy Markets”, Report of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Nuclear Initiative, July, http://bipartisanpolicy.org/sites/default/files/Leadership%20in%20Nuclear%20Energy%20Markets.pdf)

Set against this …nuclear weapons proliferation.

Failure to maintain leadership cedes nonprolif and nuclear safety to the next developer – risks conflicts and meltdowns

Wallace and Williams, 2012 (Michael, Senior Advisor at the CSIS and Nuclear Energy Expert; Sarah, Program Coordinator and Research Associate for the U.S. Nuclear Energy Project at the CSIS; “Nuclear Energy in America: Preventing its Early Demise”, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Global Forecast, April 11, http://csis.org/files/publication/120417_gf_wallace_williams.pdf)

America’s nuclear energy … prevent its early demise.

We’ll isolate Two Impacts –

A – Prolif is on the brink – expanding push for nuclear energy globally makes it a unique risk

Bengelsdorf et al, 2007 (Harold, held numerous senior positions in the U.S. government, including the Energy Department and its predecessor agencies, the State Department, and the U.S. Mission to the IAEA; Fred McGoldrick, served in the Department of Energy and State Department working on Nonproliferation; Michael Shwartz, a Principal with the Washington, D.C. based consulting firm of Energy Resources International, Inc.; “The U.S. Domestic Civil Nuclear Infrastructure and U.S. Nonproliferation Policy”, American Council on Global Nuclear Competitiveness, May, http://www.nuclearcompetitiveness.org/images/COUNCIL_WHITE_PAPER_Final.pdf)

The international nonproliferation …the coming decades.

Commercial nuclear markets are the critical internal link to global nonprolif leadership

Domenici and Miller, 2012 (Pete, former senator and senior fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center; Warren F, PhD in Engineering Sciences from Northwestern and recently served as assistant secretary for nuclear energy at the U.S. Department of Energy; “Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Global Nuclear Energy Markets”, Report of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Nuclear Initiative, July, http://bipartisanpolicy.org/sites/default/files/Leadership%20in%20Nuclear%20Energy%20Markets.pdf)

COMPETITIVE COMMERCIAL NUCLEAR EXPORTS …capabilities of their own.

Nuclear power industry is critical to successful non-proliferation leadership – the alternative is weak military and economic measures

Bengelsdorf et al, 2007 (Harold, held numerous senior positions in the U.S. government, including the Energy Department and its predecessor agencies, the State Department, and the U.S. Mission to the IAEA; Fred McGoldrick, served in the Department of Energy and State Department working on Nonproliferation; Michael Shwartz, a Principal with the Washington, D.C. based consulting firm of Energy Resources International, Inc.; “The U.S. Domestic Civil Nuclear Infrastructure and U.S. Nonproliferation Policy”, American Council on Global Nuclear Competitiveness, May, http://www.nuclearcompetitiveness.org/images/COUNCIL_WHITE_PAPER_Final.pdf)

Today due to its … U.S. has supplied.

Prolif causes conflicts that escalate to nuclear war

Utgoff, 2003 (Victor, Deputy Director of the Strategy, Forces, and Resources Division of the Institute for Defense Analyses, “Proliferation, Missile Defence, and American Ambitions,” Survival, V. 44, Summer)

First, the dynamics … whole nations.

And err aff – even if prolif doesn’t cause conflict 99% of the time – 1% means extinction

Knopf 2002  (Jeffrey, Department of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School, “Recasting the proliferation optimism-pessimism debate”, Security Studies, October, Vol. 12, Issue 1)

Optimists and pessimists … theory of pessimists.

B – Global development of nuclear power is on the rise - failure to lead in new tech development cedes leadership to other countries

Chu, 2010 (Steven, U.S. Secretary of Energy, “America’s New Nuclear Option”, Wall Street Journal Online, March 23, Proquest)

Perhaps most importantly, … and construction times.

Domestic Nuclear industry is key to global nuclear safety leadership – NRC Influence

Domenici and Miller, 2012 (Pete, former senator and senior fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center; Warren F, PhD in Engineering Sciences from Northwestern and recently served as assistant secretary for nuclear energy at the U.S. Department of Energy; “Maintaining U.S. Leadership in Global Nuclear Energy Markets”, Report of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Nuclear Initiative, July, http://bipartisanpolicy.org/sites/default/files/Leadership%20in%20Nuclear%20Energy%20Markets.pdf)

Strategic Goal: Continued …U.S. international standing.

Nuclear development risks meltdowns – NRC failures and reactor safety

Gronlund et al, 2007 (Lisbeth, co-director and senior scientist of the UCS Global Security Program; David Lochbaum, director of the nuclear safety project in the UCS Global Security Program; Edwin Lyman, senior staff scientist in the UCS Global Security Program; “Nuclear Power in a Warming World”, Union of Concerned Scientists, December, http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/nuclear_power/nuclear-power-in-a-warming-world.pdf)

Safety problems remain … is needed to fix them.

SMR design solves any safety concerns

Rosner and Goldberg, 2011 (Robert, senator of the Helmholtz Association for the Research Field Structure of Matter and is currently the William E. Wrather Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago; Stephen, Senior Advisor to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; “Small Modular Reactors – Key to Future Nuclear Power Generation in the U.S.”, Energy Policy Institute at Chicago (EPIC), The University of Chicago, Contributor: Joseph S. Hezir, Pricipal, EOP Foundation, Inc., Technical Paper, Revision 1, November, https://epic.sites.uchicago.edu/sites/epic.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/EPICSMRWhitePaperFinalcopy.pdf)

While the focus … scope of this paper.

Reactor meltdowns cause extinction

Gonçalves, 2001 (Eduardo, environmental researcher, author of the reports Broken Arrow - Greenham Common's Secret Nuclear Accident and Nuclear Guinea Pigs - British Human Radiation Experiments, published by CNL) (UK), “The Secret Nuclear War,” Ecologist, April)

But could radiation …describe it: omnicide.

Plan solves – US tech leadership allows for export markets globally

Rosner and Goldberg, 2011 (Robert, senator of the Helmholtz Association for the Research Field Structure of Matter and is currently the William E. Wrather Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago; Stephen, Senior Advisor to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; “Small Modular Reactors – Key to Future Nuclear Power Generation in the U.S.”, Energy Policy Institute at Chicago (EPIC), The University of Chicago, Contributor: Joseph S. Hezir, Pricipal, EOP Foundation, Inc., Technical Paper, Revision 1, November, https://epic.sites.uchicago.edu/sites/epic.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/EPICSMRWhitePaperFinalcopy.pdf)

There are many opportunities … rapidly emerging, China.

Contention Two: Water

Global water shortages coming – expert evidence confirms

Springer 8/10/12 (Richard, Staff Reporter, “Time Running Out in Global Water Crisis: Researchers”, http://indiawest.com/news/5983-time-running-out-in-global-water-crisis-researchers.html, CMR)

The global water … water,” he added.

Nuclear desalination is key to prevent coming global water crisis, including collapse of the Ogalla aquifer – tech is feasible and effective but more federal support is key

Witte ’11 – professor of mechanical engineering specializing in energy transport and thermodynamics at the University of Houston (Larry C, “Time has come to harness nuclear power for water desalination”, November 4, www.chron.com/opinion/outlook/article/Time-has-come-to-harness-nuclear-power-for-water-2252669.php, CMR)

The spread of …things to come.

Desalination with other sources will fail – nuclear power is key

ScienceDaily ‘7 (“Could Nuclear Power Be The Answer To Fresh Water?”, Nov 20, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071120082429.htm, CMR)

Meenakshi Jain of …growing population needs.

Desalination isn’t feasible without nuclear power – plan is the most feasible option to increase potable water

Planet Earth ’11 (“Nuclear boost to desalination”, Sept 15, lexis, CMR)

Tough times lie … surrounding the plants.

Water shortages escalate to nuclear conflict and extinction

NASCA ‘6 – National Association for Scientific and Cultural Appreciation (“Water Shortages – Only A Matter Of Time.” http://www.nasca.org.uk/Strange_relics_/water/water.html, CMR)

Water is one of the … no obvious answer.

The impact to the Ogallala aquifer is global food crisis – no alternatives

De Villiers, '1

[Marq, veteran journalist, magazine editor and writer, who has worked as a foreign correspondent in Moscow, South Africa, and other places, Water: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource, Pg 161-162]

The problem, though, … most potent crisis. 

Global nuclear war

Future Directions International ’12 (“International Conflict Triggers and Potential Conflict Points Resulting from Food and Water Insecurity Global Food and Water Crises Research Programme”, May 25, http://www.futuredirections.org.au/files/Workshop_Report_-_Intl_Conflict_Triggers_-_May_25.pdf, CMR)

There is a growing …conflicts and possibly even

Contention Three: Solvency

Text: The United States federal government should offer purchase power agreements to companies that generate electricity from Small Modular Reactors.

Federal purchase agreements are key to create a market for SMRs and spur private investment

Rosner and Goldberg, 2011 (Robert, senator of the Helmholtz Association for the Research Field Structure of Matter and is currently the William E. Wrather Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago; Stephen, Senior Advisor to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; “Small Modular Reactors – Key to Future Nuclear Power Generation in the U.S.”, Energy Policy Institute at Chicago (EPIC), The University of Chicago, Contributor: Joseph S. Hezir, Pricipal, EOP Foundation, Inc., Technical Paper, Revision 1, November, https://epic.sites.uchicago.edu/sites/epic.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/EPICSMRWhitePaperFinalcopy.pdf)

6.2 GOVERNMENT SPONSORSHIP … markets for SMR plants.

SMRs are critical to reduced risk premiums – key to investment in commercial nuclear power

Rosner and Goldberg, 2011 (Robert, senator of the Helmholtz Association for the Research Field Structure of Matter and is currently the William E. Wrather Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Chicago; Stephen, Senior Advisor to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; “Small Modular Reactors – Key to Future Nuclear Power Generation in the U.S.”, Energy Policy Institute at Chicago (EPIC), The University of Chicago, Contributor: Joseph S. Hezir, Pricipal, EOP Foundation, Inc., Technical Paper, Revision 1, November, https://epic.sites.uchicago.edu/sites/epic.uchicago.edu/files/uploads/EPICSMRWhitePaperFinalcopy.pdf)

In both the 2004 … nuclear power plants.

Risk Premiums are the key internal link to increased nuclear production

Deutch et. al, 2009 (John, Professor of Chemistry MIT; Dr. Charles Forsberg, Executive Director of the MIT Nuclear Fuel Cycle Study – Dept. of Nuclear Science and Engineering; Andrew Kadak, Professor of Dept of Nuclear Science and Engineering; Mujid Kazimi, TEPCO professor of nuclear engineering and mechanical engineering; Ernest Moniz, Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics and Engineering Systems; John E. Parsons, Executive Director of MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research; “Update of the MIT 2003 Future of Nuclear Power”, MIT Energy Initiative, http://web.mit.edu/nuclearpower/pdf/nuclearpower-update2009.pdf)

The 2003 report …by demonstrated performance.