Ground has been broken in a Georgia town for the nation's first nuclear reactor in 30 years. The town is already home to two reactors, and its cancer rates are 51 percent higher than the national average.
We are told, yet again, that nuclear power plants are safe. Well, new designs are safe anyway. Right! Just like the new designs of 30 years ago were safe!
We are told, yet again, that nuclear waste can be managed. Right! Just like we were told that there was a plan for nuclear waste management by storage at Yucca Mountain in, wait for it, 1987. And lets not note that Congress voted 388 to 30 not to completely defund the Yucca Mountain repository in the fiscal year 2010 budget.
OK, so lets summarize. Safe power plants cause cancer rates that are 51% higher than the national average, and there is no place to store the waste.
Common sense suggest that the fine citizens of a Georgia town are well advised to be scared.
With a nod to Thomas Paine, Baron d'Holbach, and "Captain Obvious" perspectives on what should be, but remarkably often isn't, obvious common sense.
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