TO THE EDITOR: THE NORTHFIELD NEWS SOUTHEASTERN VERMONT has been hit hard by the recession. The shutdown of Vermont Yankee would cost more than 600 lost jobs at the plant itself—more than $40 million in annual cumulative payroll for the region—and also endanger the jobs of the hundreds of vendors and contractors that depend on the plant’s operation. The result would plunge Vernon and surrounding towns into a regional depression. The local social services “safety net” would suffer terribly from the loss of nearly $400,000 in Vermont Yankee employee giving, as well as the incalculable loss of donated employee time and services.

But not only my town and county would suffer. Many other jobs would be lost across Vermont, especially in industries sensitive to higher electricity costs such as manufacturing, hospitality, grocery and dairy farming. State and local government would lose most of the $16.5 million Vermont Yankee pays in annual revenue. Vermont businesses large and small would lose a stable, affordable, low-carbon source of electricity, and homeowners also would suffer the sticker shock of greatly increased electric rates.

The ongoing thorough, professional inspection processes have found Vermont Yankee to be safe and reliable time and again. Last year, a reliability assessment commissioned by the State of Vermont determined that a relicensed Vermont Yankee can be operated r eliably, and Vermont Yankee routinely passes with high marks the stringent safety inspections conducted by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

As a Vernon resident, as a mother, and as my town’s representative, I completely agree. Visitors to Vernon sometimes wonder why a nuclear power plant was built so close to the elementary school. In fact, it was the other way around. The people of Vernon built our elementary school across the road from Vermont Yankee. Would we have done so, if we had any doubt about the safety of Vermont Yankee? Never. Would we work in the plant ourselves and encourage our children to work there, if we had any concerns about its safety? No. And time and time again our family members and neighbors who operate the plant have justified this confidence.

In some ways, our location in the southeastern corner of Vermont is a political weakness. Most of Vermont's population and statewide media are located in the top third of the state. Therefore many of the state's decision makers may not fully appreciate the real-life consequences of losing a major employer in southern Vermont.

The Vermont Legislature should look for ways to preserve and create good jobs for our constituents, and should not close down a major employer and impose increased electric costs on Vermont businesses that are trying to survive in these tough economic times.

PATRICIA O’DONNELL

Vernon