Don't ignore nuclear hazards

The Deseret Morning News' endorsement of nuclear power for Utah ("Examine nuke power closely," July 23), reads like a memo from the nuclear industry. It completely ignores hazards of the nuclear power lifecycle such as uranium mining and tailings, as well as the hidden fossil fuel infrastructure needed to support the nuclear power industry. It fails to even mention increasing energy efficiency or promoting electricity decentralization as viable alternatives.

It is disappointing, to say the least, to see the same newspaper that has editorialized against dumping of nuclear waste in Utah in the past so uncritically toe the nuclear industry's line now. From the astonishing claim that nuclear power is "inexpensive" to the absurd characterization of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar as "primitive," to its faith in the discredited idea of "reprocessing" of spent nuclear fuel, the piece does a disservice to those looking for objective, holistic information in the common challenge to move our society towards a truly clean energy future.

For a refutation of the arguments being used to advocate constructing new nuclear reactors, see Rebecca Solnit's piece, "Reasons Not to Glow," in the July/August issue of Orion magazine. For an exhaustive report on the promise of renewable energies, as well as energy efficiency, see "American Energy: The Renewable Path to Energy Security" (images1.americanprogress.org/il80web20037/americanenergynow/AmericanEnergy.pdf), by the Worldwatch Institute and the Center for American Progress. For more on decentralized electricity, see the World Alliance for Decentralized Energy. (www.localpower.org/index.html).

Jonathan Jensen

Salt Lake City