Sunday, March 31, 2019

The Power of Grassroots Organizing Against Nuclear and the Green New Deal


A former US Nuclear Regulator has stated there is simply no place for nuclear in a Green New Deal:
Former Head of US Nuclear Safety says there's no space for nuclear in the Green New Deal. Bloomberg. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2019-02-11/finding-room-for-nuclear-energy-in-the-green-new-deal-video
Of course the global nuclear industry has strategized their survival around "low carbon emissions," despite catastrophic risks up and down their entire utilization chains, from uranium production to decommissioning of aging nuclear plants located on water prone to flooding.

There are plenty of studies demonstrating that nuclear isn't green using any formulation given the carbon-footprint and waste generated in the processes of uranium mining, refining, transportation, de-commissioning, etc.

And yet according to a recent article in the Asashi Shimbun, "There were 443 nuclear plants in operation worldwide as of Jan. 1 last year, according to the pro-nuclear nonprofit Japan Atomic Industrial Forum Inc."

Ever one of these plants should be shut down and safely de-commissioned. And yet that will not happen so we are going to experience nuclear failure after failure, with failures operationalized broadly to include ongoing and significant environmental contamination through emissions and leaks (e.g., with tritium) and through outright meltdowns, as in Fukushima.

Still, the nuclear industry is trying to get in on the Green New Deal, with proponents of small modular reactors making an especially big push.

It is going to be up to grassroots citizens movements to combat the growing trend toward extending licensing at aging nuclear plants while relaxing regulation:
Associated Press (2019, March 14). Nuclear industry pushing for fewer inspections at plants. Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-6810531/Nuclear-industry-pushing-fewer-inspections-plants.html
Arnie and Maggie Gundersen have played important roles in promoting de-commissioning of America's aging nuclear reactors by helping local groups and amazing NGOs shut down dangerous reactors. This film, Power Struggle depicts what is at stake and the forces of change: https://www.powerstrugglemovie.com/

We must prevent more "Fukushimas" from accelerating destruction of life on earth!


Screenshot from 3/27/2019 of TEPCO trying to dis-assemble Fukushima radioactive piece by piece: