Episode 5 Part 1: Karen D Hadden
On Episode 5 (Part 1) of the Lone Star Deep Dive Podcast, host Tonya Kleuskens and Mark Nair talk with Karen D. Hadden about her work as the Executive Director of the Sustainable Energy & Economic Development (SEED) Coalition, which aims to prevent high-level nuclear waste from being stored above ground in Andrews County Texas.
Karen D. Hadden is a former high school science teacher. She has a passion for clean air, water, and energy to protect public health and minimize climate impacts. As Executive Director of the Sustainable Energy & Economic Development (SEED) Coalition, she advocated for clean-up of coal plant pollution, especially toxic mercury. Together with Public Citizen, SEED fought 22 proposed Texas coal plants. When TXU’s eight proposed coal plants were simultaneously defeated, the news resounded globally. Then came proposals for new Texas nuclear reactors, the start of an attempted nuclear renaissance. SEED Coalition led successful efforts to defeat proposed nuclear reactors at South Texas Project and Comanche Peak. Karen worked with allies statewide to advocate for new solar plants instead. The successful "Solar Si, Nuclear No" campaign led to a 400 MW solar project commitment by San Antonio’s CPS Energy. SEED then worked to get Austin Energy to commit to 600 MW of solar power, helping boost the new Texas solar boom.
Karen worked with Public Citizen, League of Women Voters of Texas and Fasken Oil and Ranch to fight a nuclear waste dump proposal; all but three Texas legislators supported a ban on high-level radioactive waste disposal, a rare bipartisan victory. SEED Coalition helped garner resolutions against this dangerous nuclear waste from numerous cities and counties, collectively representing over 5 million Texans, and participated in legal challenges. Strong decisions by the 5th Circuit Court in New Orleans were a big victory. The licenses for high-level radioactive waste dumps proposed for Texas and New Mexico were declared invalid, but the cases may yet go to the US Supreme Court.
Karen loves spending time with family and friends, hiking, traveling and hearing live music whenever possible.
DIVE DEEPER!
For more information about the SEED Coalition, visit their website at nonuclearwaste.org.
Listen to full episode now.