When it comes to energy, it’s a game of truth or consequences in Washington DC these days.
President Bush envisions a brave new energy era. A day when rolling blackouts and American dependence on foreign oil are the stuff of legends, like stories about walking to school five miles uphill in a snowstorm. But for every proposed initiative, new drilling in the Arctic or offshore, there’s an environmental price to pay. Coal and gas power plants contribute to the greenhouse effect and solar panel production pollutes too.
But when the energy source in question is nuclear, evidence abounds. 42,000 metric tons’ worth already, in the form of nuclear waste. Even if new plant designs are cleaner, safer, and more efficient, what about the waste?
(Hosted by Tom Ashbrook)
Guests:
Allison Macfarlane, senior research associate, security studies program, MIT
Robert Loux, executive director, Agency for Nuclear Projects, Governor’s Office, State of Nevada;
Eileen Suptko, nuclear engineer, Energy Resources International.