Government/Industry Effort to Revive Nuclear Power is Misguided and Dangerous

Interview with Harvey Wasserman, author and energy activist, conducted by Scott Harris

With wars raging in Iraq and Afghanistan and between Israel, Lebanon and Palestine -- U.S. citizens are becoming increasingly aware of the negative consequences linked to America's dependence on Middle East oil. The rising costs -- both in blood and money -- of running an economy dependent on petroleum are forcing people to look for energy alternatives. Daily reminders of global warming, such as record-setting heat waves that have killed thousands, and melting glaciers and ice caps are also motivating government and industry to look for ways to break the nation's addiction to fossil fuels connected to the production of greenhouse gases.

In the midst of this crisis, the Bush administration and the energy industry are promoting nuclear power as an alternative to both high-priced oil and a solution to global warming. The national Energy Policy Act of 2005 made billions of dollars in federal subsidies available for nuclear power plant construction. Sixteen utilities are now making tentative plans to build new atomic stations 35 years after work began on the last U.S. nuclear plant.

Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with energy activist Harvey Wasserman, author of "Solartopia: Our Green-Powered Earth, A.D. 2030," who takes a critical look at the high costs and dangers associated with nuclear power and the viability of alternative energy sources, such as solar and wind power.

Read Harvey Wasserman's articles online at www.harveywasserman.com

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