NUCLEAR REACTION - Why Do Americans Fear Nuclear Power?

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NUCLEAR REACTION - Why Do Americans Fear Nuclear Power?

[ https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontlin ... nader.html ]

(Not dated . . . . - RALPH NADER Interview

EXCERPT: "Ralph Nader - A consumer advocate and founder of Public Citizen, a consumer rights advocacy group in Washington.

naderQ: In the early 1970s, you became active in your opposition to nuclear power. Why was that?
A: Well, it became clear that nuclear power was too hazardous, too costly, and unnecessary to provide electricity for our country.

This was a time of maximum energy waste in the early '70s before the so-called oil embargo. And we thought the mere investment in energy efficiency would replace far more than the megawatts that could be supplied by risky nuclear power.

Q: Back then, the early '70s, public perceptions of nuclear power were fairly positive. How did you go about it from the strategic point of view?

A: Well, first of all we raised the issues that weren't resolved. Where do you put the radioactive waste? The industry and the government said, well, we don't know where.

And then we said, why do you have to have evacuation plans for miles around. Well, it could be, there's a real problem. And why do you have to have limited liability protecting the nuclear power plants in case of disaster from having to pay full compensation. Well, because there might be a risk.

So this began to generate a public debate and flush out more information. . . . . "

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