No More Chernobyls Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of the worst commercial nuclear accident the world has ever seen: Chernobyl. But if you think it can't happen here, or now, think again. In the last 20 years since Chernobyl, nearly 200 "near-misses" have occurred at U.S. nuclear power plants. Has one of these happened at a nuclear reactor near you?

We've just released a report that documents these near misses. Despite the claims of the nuclear industry, an American Chernobyl is possible.

Earlier this year, President Bush announced plans to build a new generation of nuclear power plants. The government is planning a nuclear renaissance, and they're footing the bill with your tax dollars.

But is nuclear energy any safer today than it was 20 years ago? The answer is a resounding NO.

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I've been campaigning against nuclear power for almost 20 years now, and I can tell you that no matter what the nuclear industry says about safety, there are fundamental problems with nuclear energy that will never go away. Let me share a few examples with you:

* During one year of operation, a nuclear reactor produces as much long-lived radioactive poison as that released by 1,000 Hiroshima bombs. And there is still no way to safely dispose of it.
* Did you know that a nuclear accident in the United States could cost as much as $15 billion and like Chernobyl, leave large areas of land uninhabitable for generations?
* Radiation causes cancer. Government studies have repeatedly found that there is no such thing as a safe dose of radiation.

Even today, the impact of the Chernobyl meltdown is still being felt. Experts predict as many as 200,000 cancer cases related to the Chernobyl accident and many believe that the number of cancer deaths could reach as high as 93,000.

If we want to avoid nuclear disasters here at home, we have to avoid nuclear energy. There are much safer, renewable energy sources available today. Please, take a moment to reflect on the consequences of Chernobyl, and another moment to prevent the same sort of tragedy from occurring here at home.

Sincerely,
Jim Riccio

Nuclear Policy Analyst