February 19th, 2008
Nuclear waste, cheaper than Iraq, more expensive than a new laptop
Seems you and I and all the American taxpayers are paying big-time for nuclear waste. Now I realize the costs are paltry compared to occupying countries in Asia, the costs of nuclear waste storage running only into tens of billions, not trillions. But it is irksome to this deluded, ignorant blogger because when last we wrote of nuclear waste, it was I who was laid to waste. For being so dumb about all the nifty high tech solutions to nuclear waste. In fact I was told nuclear waste is really NOT a problem, that’s all propaganda from accused eco-socialists* like myself.
So why is the U.S. government subsidizing the American nuclear industry to the tune of billions of dollars? Why can’t they finish work on Yucca Mountain in Nevada and start moving all the locally-held nuclear waste into this federal stoarge locker? Out there in the real world where tech and politics collide it gets ugly and complicated and we end up paying the bill.
Sure, nuclear plants produce “clean energy” with little or no greenhouse gas emissions. That’s good for electricity users and combatting global warming. But there’s the problem of long-term moth-balling of the nuclear plants. You don’t even get that problem with oil refineries. Those you can eventually tear down and clean up the polluted soil and waterways around them.
There are already five American states with obsolete nuc plants that will never again generate electricity, but defunct nuc plants must be maintained against weather and earthquakes, guarded and forever closed off from the public. And we taxpaying dupes get to pay for that in perpetuity. More nucs is good nucs?
*Never did figure out that “eco-socialist” label since my decades on this planet have shown that governments must be drug kicking and screaming into anything that actually protects the planet. Like the US Navy wanting to brain damage every sonar-using mammal in the sea. Or US military bases being exempted from most water and soil pollution regs that are foisted onto the rest of America. Or Japan insisting it has the right to slaughter whales for oil and profit. And ditto Norway now one of the wealthiest oil nations on earth. Or an entire American public highway system where nothing wil be done to prevent wildlife from becoming road pizza.
A newsman since 1969, Harry Fuller has worked for CBS, ABC, CNBC Europe, CNET and was founding news director at TechTV. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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