CONCERNS OF THE CITIZENS' ENERGY PROJECT ABOUT THE S.P.S. Ken Bossong Citizens' Energy Project During 1979, the Citizens' Energy Project prepared summaries of 22 of the SPS ''white papers" issued by the U.S. Department of Energy. The summaries were mailed to approximately 3,000 individuals and organizations including environmental & consumer groups, solar businesses £ citizen groups, local government and public utility commission representatives, labor unions, alternative press contacts, and individuals interested in the SPS issue. In response to the request for comments on these summaries, 381 letters and other written comments were received as well as almost two dozen verbal comments. Of the responses received, approximately 20 indicated support for the development of the SPS. Another 31 were neutral or undecided on the issue (i.e. generally felt that further study should be undertaken or that there was insufficient data yet on which to base a decision). The remaining responses indicated opposition towards the SPS concept; that opposition ranged in tone from a general sense that better energy options than the SPS existed up to a tone of total hostility to the SPS program. In total, the overall tenor of the comments received was negative towards the SPS. Ilie reasons for this opposition varied considerably. Among the concerns noted most frequently were those involving SPS's environmental, health, economic, centralization, and military impacts. Among the environmental impact issues noted most frequently were those associated with the use of microwaves to transmit SPS energy to the rectennas; that is, the microwaves could disrupt the ozone layer, earth-based communications systems, local ecosystems, and the like. Other environmental impacts that were noted by some respondants included the land use demands of the SPS both for the rectenna sites and the transmission line facilities. Others mentioned the difficulty or impossibility of recycling the materials used in the SPS construction as well as the heavy demand on sony resources needed to build the SPS. Many persons also questioned whether the SPS or any of the lower earth orbit construction facilities could crash to earth "a la Skylab''; there was also some concern expressed about the noise, air, and water pollution impacts associated with a large number of rocket launches. Among the health impact issues raised most frequently was the uncertain danger posed to human health by microwaves. This concern was expressed both in terms of the limited information now in hand on this point and on a general distrust of the use of a microwave beam. Respondants questioned whether the beam could wander or whether workers would be exposed to excessive job-related dangers. Interestingly, few comments were received on the health impacts of other aspects of the SPS program -- notably the health problems posed by working in space. A very large number of persons objected to the SPS on the ground of its high economic cost. Repeatedly, respondants argued that the funds that would have to be spent on the SPS could be better invested in now-available, decentralized energy technologies (e.g. small wind systems, passive solar systems, energy conservation, etc.). There was also concern that an investment in the SPS would really be a case of putting too many eggs in a basket with an uncertain future. And some noted that the pricetag for the SPS would possibly drain funds from both other energy technologies as well as other government/private sector programs.
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