|
The September 11 tragedy undoubtedly sent chilling ripples through the bones of citizens around the world. SAPL would like to take this time to send our deepest sympathies to the families who were directly affected by these heinous actions. May there be a peaceful end to this very violent and merciless situation. As the news of the four attacks poured through the airwaves on that fateful Tuesday, my daily workload and responsibilities with SAPL seemed rather trivial. Who could think about air pollution, toxic waste, and nuclear radiation threats in the seacoast area at a time like this? It was obvious that our immediate safety was being compromised beyond our comprehension by a handful of extremists and it was now time to focus our attention on the danger directly facing us. But as we became aware of the strategies used by these anti-American terrorists, we began realizing that their success came from transforming "benign and safe" machinery into weapons that ended thousands of lives. With only a small knife the perpetrators used the volatility of our own technological achievements to harm our own people. In response to these unprecedented circumstances, we as residents in the Seacoast region need to take inventory of similar threats and ask the question: where else are we vulnerable to terrorist activity?. SAPL suggests that the Seacoast area is more threatened than ever by the existence of the Seabrook nuclear plant now that we face this new reality of intentional sabotage. As soon as the news of the attacks was released, all nuclear facilities across the United States were placed in a "high security status". Weeks later, most facilities remained on "an extraordinarily high security status", including Seabrook. Transportation of nuclear materials remained suspended until September 30. But this high security only protects the plants from ground attacks. What if a jetliner purposely crashed on to a nuclear reactor plant? In a recent article by the Associated Press, they quoted the International Atomic Energy Agency as saying that, " Most nuclear power plants were built during the 1960’s and 1970’s, and like the World Trade Center, they were designed to withstand only accidental impacts from the smaller aircraft widely used at the time. If you postulate the risk of a jumbo jet full of fuel, it is clear that their design was not conceived to withstand such an impact." The AP article continues by reporting agency representative David Kyd as saying that nuclear power plants in the US were "designed more with ground vehicle attacks in mind." An unidentified US official was also quoted as saying that a direct hit from a jumbo jet "could create a Chernobyl situation." The danger of nuclear power plants is more real than ever. This threat multiplies with every new plant proposed and with every operational license extended. As we produce more nuclear material, we create more nuclear waste that has to be stored on site or transported to a large-scale waste dump. Producing nuclear materials threatens the health and safety of the residents along the Seacoast when it is handled "safely". Now that there is a faction who want to turn our "technological triumphs" into large scale disasters, we need to reevaluate our country’s new interest in nuclear and reemphasize the immediate need to establish effective security at all of our nuclear reactor plants. SAPL will continue to expose the potential catastrophes of nuclear energy. As you page through this newsletter you will find a copy of the letter SAPL sent to Governor Jeanne Shaheen with recommendations for establishing a nuclear terrorism policy for Seabrook power plant. We are also questioning our representatives’ rationale for supporting a national energy plan that hails nuclear as "safe and clean" power. We will apply pressure on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to continue their anti-terrorist inspection procedure (ORSE program). According to the organization Citizens Awareness Network, close to half of the nuclear reactor plants whose anti-terrorist mechanisms were tested by NRC inspectors failed – these included a number of Northeastern plants. We ask that our members write or call Senators Bob Smith and Judd Gregg, and Representative John E. Sununu and tell them that you want a US Energy Policy that eliminates new nuclear power stations from its strategy and increase the security of existing plants. The lives of the citizens in our country are dependent on it. Senator Judd Gregg: Russell Senate Office Building Room 393 (603) 431-2171 Senator Bob Smith: Rep. John E. Sununu: 316 Cannon House Office Building (HOB) Washington, DC 20515 (603) 743-4813
If you want more information about nuclear power plants and the threat of terrorism contact Jenn Hicks at the SAPL office (603) 431-5089.
|
|
