Correspondence with Sierra Club on the subject of safety of nuclear plants and the millions of tons of waste that have been created since they first sidestepped the issue.
To: "phillip.berry@sierraclub.org" <Phillip.Berry.SierraClub@BerryAndBerry.com>
From: "Russell D. Hoffman" <rhoffman@animatedsoftware.com>
Subject: Re: Your various emails on the subject of safety of nuclear plants
September 28th, 2001
Dear Mr. Berry,
Thank you for your email (shown below) and I appreciate your concerns. However, a few things should be noted.
First of all, it has been nearly three weeks since the terrorist attack, and yet these plants remain open. Why? It is because the American public believes the Nuclear Regulatory Commission when they tell us these plants are safe. They aren't. The threats from terrorism are only a part of the problem.
Second, that list of 25 items was written by someone who has never engaged in anything like that, has no military training, and didn't even spend much time (just a few hours) coming up with the list. I'm sure that if I can think of those items (most of which I read about elsewhere, anyway), so can anyone else, especially terrorists capable of pulling off the "stunt" we saw on September 11th.
Third, in the past, the Sierra Club has made some terrible policy statements regarding nuclear power. For example, here is an analysis of their executive statements from 1974 and 1987:
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/environm/onofre/sierra06.htm
I believe your letter is well-intentioned, but is really just a case of "shoot the messenger". Every day the nuclear plants remain open, the task of guarding the waste from terrorists, accidents, and natural disasters, grows by about 10 tons around the country, and about 40 tons around the world. That's 40 new tons of Spent Fuel, and about 200 tons of other radioactive waste. All that has to be protected for hundreds of thousands of years. America needs a definitive statement from the Sierra Club advocating the immediate and permanent closure of all Nuclear Power Plants.
Failure of the Club to produce such a statement is the real problem. Not my simple list of obvious vulnerabilities we all should be aware of.
Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Russell Hoffman
Concerned Citizen
Carlsbad, CA
SHUT THE NUKES DOWN NOW!
http://www.animatedsoftware.com/environm/onofre/index.htm
>>>>> At 02:13 PM 9/28/01 , "phillip.berry@sierraclub.org" <Phillip.Berry.SierraClub@BerryAndBerry.com> wrote: >>>>>
I've read your numerous emails on the subject of safety of nuclear plants
and am sympathetic to your concerns. However, I am deeply concerned about
having appear on a Sierra Club list your "25 simple ways terrorists could
destroy" (nuclear power plants). Maybe terrorists would think of all these
things on their own but why run the risk of suggesting something they might
not have thought of? I think Sierra Club people can intelligently discuss
your general comments without this kind of road map.
I don't police the list (that's up to others) but as a Board member I was
particularly disturbed by seeing all this in print.
I am open to the Club taking some positions and being active on this issue
because I am convinced the threat or threats are real and that we should do
everything we can.
<<<<< End of letter from Phillip Berry <<<<<
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First posted September 30th, 2001.
Webwiz: Russell D. Hoffman