(Fwd) your opinions

["DAVE GILMORE" <DGILMORE@navajo.astate.edu>]

Dear Radsafers,

I recently received a pamphlet from the Union of Concerned 
Scientists (seeking my membership and $$ of course).  They mentioned 
a number of feel-good topics they were involved in, including a vague 
blurb about nuclear power safety.  Curious, I emailed them and asked 
for their position on nuclear power.  I assume this is close to a 
"form letter" and that anyone else who inquired would get a similar 
response, so I hope it is ethical to repost it here for you to mull 
over.  I think I know how many of you would respond to some of the 
points raised....
  
          Dr. Gilmore,
          
          Thank you for your recent inquiry to UCS. 
          
          UCS is neutral on the technology of nuclear power, but 
          skeptical of the industry's commitment to public safety 
          and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's willingness to 
          set and enforce adequate safety standards.
          
          We acknowledge that there is some prospect that a safer 
          generation of nuclear reactors could be designed that 
          would reduce the prospect of a major accident caused by 
          human error or a design error. However, we also think 
          that the nuclear industry needs to demonstrate that 
          major risks to public safety would be eliminated and 
          that it would comply with stringent safety standards.
          
          The industry's track record on meeting safety standards 
          is in fact poor. Whether the nuclear industry could 
          ever improve this track record, and whether the 
          existing plants can overcome their serious cost, 
          performance, and safety defects, is a question about 
          which UCS has serious doubts. 
          
          I hope this provides some additional explanation. If 
          you have further questions about our work on nuclear 
          power, please provide your postal address, and I will 
          send you some examples of reports and press releases.
          
          Sincerely,
          Eileen Quinn
          Communications Director

email address is equinn@ucsusa.org

David F. Gilmore
Assistant Professor of Environmental Biology    0  0 
P.O. Box 599, Dept. of Biological Sciences       __    "have a day" 
Arkansas State University 
State University, AR 72467
dgilmore@navajo.astate.edu
ph  501-972-3082    fax 501-972-2638