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Nuclear Reactor Crisis in Japan
Nuclear Reactor Crisis in Japan
& U.S. Policy Implications
Our hearts go out to those affected by the major crisis evolving at Japan’s nuclear power facility in Fukushima as a result of the March 11th earthquake and tsunami. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes a heartbreaking and horrifying disaster like the one unfolding to give us pause to reconsider the science we have at our disposal when it comes to our energy policy. The role of nuclear energy is now subject to reconsideration based on the sound science of safe and clean alternatives. In response to this terrible tragedy we have begun to compile materials and resources available from many of our member groups and allies that will be helpful in the discourse, development, and decision-making for the best safe and clean energy future.
Resources relating to the nuclear industry in the U.S., found on this page include:
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Background and General Resources
With 104 licensed nuclear power plants, nuclear energy currently supplies about 20 percent of the electricity produced in the United States. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is the federal agency that oversees the nuclear industry. In this section you will find general resources about nuclear power plants and background materials on the current crisis involving Japan’s nuclear power facility in Fukushima.
Fact Sheets
Letters
Statements
- Physicians Cite Flawed Evacuation Zones, Nuclear’s Health Risks on Chernobyl Anniversary, Physicians for Social Responsibility 4.26.11
- No to Nuclear Power: Nobel Peace Laureates to World Leaders - Media Release, Nobel Women's Initiative 4.21.11
- Physicians for Social Responsibility to Host Press Conference on Lessons from Fukushima and Chernobyl for U.S. Public Health, Physicians for Social Responsibility 4.21.11
- Plutonium Carries Serious Risks to Public Health and the Environment, Physicians for Social Responsibility 3.30.11
- Physicians for Social Responsibility Deeply Concerned About Reports of Increased Radioactivity in Food Supply, Physicians for Social Responsibility 3.23.11
- Physicians for Social Responsibility Statement on Radiation Exposure in the United States from the Japan Nuclear Accident, Physicians for Social Responsibility 3.21.11
- Physicians for Social Responsibility Calls for a US Moratorium on New Nuclear Reactors, Citing Medical Risks, Physicians for Social Responsibility 3.19.11
- Bingaman On Japanese Nuclear Crisis, U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 3.15.11
- Physicians for Social Responsibility Examines US Implications of Japanese Crisis, Physicians for Social Responsibility 3.14.11
- Radiation Exposure Debate Rages Inside EPA, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility Press Release 4.5.10
Blogs
Press
- Cuomo Takes Tough Stance On Nuclear Reactors, New York Times 6.28.11
- America’s Nuclear Nightmare, Rolling Stone 4.27.11
- Japan Raises Rating of Nuclear Crisis to Highest Level, Washington Post 4.12.11
- Q&A: Is Fukushima as Bad as Chernobyl?, CNN.com 4.12.11
- Japanese Utility Dumps Radioactive Water into Pacific, Washington Post 4.5.11
- Japan Disaster Raises Questions About Backup Power at U.S. Plants, Greenwire 3.24.11
- Radiation Found in Tokyo Tap Water, USA Today 3.23.11
- Spent Fuel Hampers Efforts at Japanese Nuclear Plant, New York Times, 3.22.11
- Japan Extended Reactor’s Life, Despite Warning, New York Times 3.22.11
Reports & Other Resources
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Updates:
Action Alerts
Multimedia
Members Only
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Economics: Subsidies, Loan Guarantees
Government subsidies to the nuclear power industry over the past fifty years have been so large in proportion to the value of the energy produced that in some cases it would have cost taxpayers less to simply buy kilowatts on the open market and give them away, according to a February 2011 report by the Union of Concerned Scientists. In this section you will find resources related to the true economics of nuclear power.
Fact Sheets
Letters
Statements
Blogs
Press
Reports & Other Resources
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Action Alerts
Multimedia
Members Only
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Safety: Review, Reform, Reliability
Safety is an inherent concern with all nuclear power plants and these concerns have come to a brighter light with the unfolding of the Fukushima accident. U.S. nuclear plants currently have management plans for severe accidents, but these plans are not required by regulations and do not have to be evaluated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) or tested for their effectiveness. In this section you will find resources related to the review, reform and reliability of nuclear power plants in the United States.
Fact Sheets
Letters
Statements
Blogs
- Evac Havoc, Nuclear Bailout 7.1.11
- Los Alamos and Fort Calhoun: Lessons In The Precautionary Principle, Nuclear Bailout 6.30.11
- Nuclear Never Safe, Greenpeace 6.16.11
- Japan Update 6/10: Radiation Concerns, Southern Alliance For Clean Energy 6.10.11
- Don't Try To Squeeze America's Power Reactor Spent Fuel onto a Football Field, Huffington Post 6.6.11
- All Things Nuclear, Union of Concerned Scientists
- 25 Years After Chernobyl: Nuclear Safety in NJ, Clean Water Action Blog 4.26.11
- Fukushima Nuclear Accident Update Log, International Atomic Energy Agency
- China Halts Nuclear Approval Until Early 2012, NRDC Switchboard 4.15.11
- Could a Similar Nuclear Crisis Happen in the United States?, U.S. PIRG 3.19.11
- How Many U.S. Nuclear Plants Are Located Near Earthquake Faults?, U.S. PIRG 3.16.11
Press
- Japan To Announce New Nuclear Regulator, Industrial Fuels and Power 8.3.11
- France Delays New Generation Nuclear Plant, ABC News 7.20.11
- The Nuclear Safety Debate Hits Home, NewsTimes 7.19.11
- Staff Tells N.R.C. That U.S. Rules Need Overhaul After Fukushima, New York Times 7.19.11
- Nuke Plant Inspections Find Flaws In Disaster Readiness, Pro Republica 6.29.11
- Tritium Leaks Found At Many Nuke Sites, Associated Press 6.21.11
- US Nuke Regulators Weaken Safety Rules, Associated Press 6.20.11
- Japan's Nuclear Power Shortages Amid Growing, Unofficial Nuclear Shutdown, Wall Street Journal 6.10.11
- Nuclear Industry Will Conduct Post-Fukushima U.S. Safety Review, Bloomberg News 6.9.11
- Experts: U.S. Nuclear Industry Was In Trouble Before Fukishima and Now Is Stalled In Terms Of New Growth, Physicians For Social Responsibility 6.9.11
- Japan Raises Estimate Of Initial Radiation Release, Wall Street Journal 6.6.11
- Multinational Panel Calls for Tougher 'Stress Tests' of Nuclear Plant Safety Systems, New York Times 6.02.11
- People's Tribunal Questions Safety Of India Nuke Complex, World's Biggest, Solve Climate News 6.02.11
- Nuclear Expert Warns Congress U.S. Power Plants Not Safe, Environment News Service 5.13.11
- Nuclear Watchdog Points to Gaps in U.S. Safety Regulations, Washington Post 5.13.11
- T.V.A. Considers Improvements for 6 U.S. Nuclear Reactors, New York Times 4.14.11
- U.S. Nuclear Regulator Let Industry Help With the Fine Print, ProPublica 4.13.11
- Safety Concerns Often Amount to Status Quo at U.S. Nuclear Industry's Aging Reactors, Scientific American 3.25.11
- Japan Disaster Raises Questions About Backup Power at U.S. Nuclear Plants, Greenwire 2.24.11
- Tokyo Tap Water Not Safe For Infants, Officials Warn, Los Angeles Times 3.23.11
- Assess Safety at Aging Plants, The Asbury Park Press, 3.16.11
- Japanese Tragedy is Too Close for Comfort, Concord Monitor 3.16.11
- Drop Nuclear Energy Bill, The (Fort Wayne, IN) Journal Gazette, 3.16.11
- Japan's Crisis Should Prompt Nuclear Reassessment in US, Boston Globe 3.16.11
- Fallout: Japanese Nuclear Plant Woes Will be Felt in Missouri, The Platform/St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 3.16.11
- Nuclear Fails the Test, Los Angeles Times, 3.14.11
- Japan's Nuclear Crisis Might Not be the Last, Washington Post 3.14.11
- If the Japanese Can't Build a Safe Reactor, Who Can?, Washington Post 3.14.11
- Crisis at Japanese Nuclear Complex Prompts Calls for U.S. Review, McClatchy Newspapers 3.14.11
- Can U.S. Nuclear Plants Handle a Major Natural Disaster?, ProPublica 3.13.11
Reports & Other Resources
Reports:
Action Alerts
Multimedia
Members Only
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Waste and Reprocessing
Nuclear power reactors produce highly radioactive waste that is dangerous and remains in the environment for hundreds of thousands of years. Plutonium and remaining uranium can be separated from the other materials in spent nuclear fuel by a process called "reprocessing". The purified form of plutonium acquired from reprocessing can be reused as fuel, but it can also have dangerous implications. One of primary concern to national security is the theft and use of spent nuclear fuel to create "dirty" bombs. In this section you will find resources relating to the management of waste from nuclear power plants.
Fact Sheets
Letters
Statements
Blogs
Press
Reports & Other Resources
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Action Alerts
Multimedia
Members Only
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Pathway to a Safe, Cheap, Clean Energy Future
Some proponents see nuclear power playing an important role in greatly reducing carbon pollution. However, as addressed in the sections above there are also many questions about the cost, safety and true benefits of nuclear powers and its role in a safe, cheap, and clean energy future for the United States. In this section you will find a range of resources that explore these viewpoints.
Fact Sheets
Letters
Statements
Blogs
Press
Reports & Other Resources
Reports:
Polls:
Action Alerts
Multimedia
Members Only
CEDA Resources
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