Heidi Alexander: “40 years ago, at the time of the first Earth Day, Americans became deeply worried about air and water pollution and a…”

“40 years ago, at the time of the first Earth Day, Americans became deeply worried about air and water pollution and a population explosion that threatened to overrun the planet's resources. Nuclear power was seen as a savior to these environmental dilemmas. It could produce large amounts of low-cost, reliable clean energy. Unlike oil, nuclear power did not need to be hauled in leaking tankers from countries that did not like us. Unlike coal, it did not spew tons of pollution out of smokestacks. Then Three Mile Island and Chernobyl happened. The world pulled back, fearful of nuclear technology--even though no one was hurt at Three Mile Island. In fact, no one has ever died as a result of a nuclear accident at an American commercial nuclear reactor or on a U.S. navy ship powered by reactors. Chernobyl was the tragic result of a flawed technology never used in the United States. Still, the United States has not licensed a new reactor since 1978. Now the rest of the world is returning to nuclear energy.”