Nuclear energy is not clean energy 

There are two schools of thought regarding nuclear generation of electricity: the “Don’t Worry Be Happy” way and the “Dealing with the Facts” way. One of the facts is that nuclear reactors are an extremely inefficient way to generate energy. Albert Einstein said, “Nuclear power is one hell of a way to boil water.” It is not clean. 

The mining of uranium in the United States takes place chiefly in the West where it has heavily impacted Native American, Latino, and low-income communities by contaminating groundwater, surface water, and community drinking water systems.

Extracting uranium from mined rock leaves a toxic sludge referred to as tailings. In the past, tailings have been disposed of haphazardly, polluting the environment. Now these toxic tailings must be disposed in 40-acre lined impoundments by the Deptartment of Energy for long-term maintenance—i.e. forever—at taxpayer expense.

These are just a few of the facts. Nuclear generation is not cheap or clean. We will be dealing with facts like the people of Japan are dealing with the facts of radioactive contamination of their soil, water, air, and forced evacuation from their homes and farms. The human health impacts will be continuing for decades.

-- Marty Brown - Atascadero

-- Marty Brown - Atascadero