Re: Why nuclear is a "no-win" in the USA

[Bob Flood <bflood@SLAC.Stanford.EDU>]

Like someone caught speeding, Brookhaven has failed to meet a DOE
performance expectation, and it appropriate that DOE take some action.
However, we generally don't execute people for traffic violations. But this
event, with potential but no actual harm to the public (like someone
speeding without causing an accident) has resulted in elimination of the
contractor and possibly the elimination of the reactor - effectively the
death penalty.

Certainly something needs to be fixed at BNL, but do we really need to
eradicate something because it showed only some **potential** to create a
public health hazard? By this logic, do we outlaw hamburgers?


Bob Flood
Stanford Linear Accelerator Center
(415) 926-3793     bflood@slac.stanford.edu
Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are mine alone.