Facts to Consider Regarding Nuclear Power and Who is Against it - 2022

Nuclear Power Industry

Environmental Progress has conducted extensive research:

Re: Corporate & Energy Interest Funding for Anti-Nuclear Groups

Sierra Club :: Has taken $136 million from natural gas/ renewables interests that stand to profit from the closure of nuclear plants.

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) :: Has minimum of $70 million directly invested in oil and gas/ renewable energy interests that stand to profit from the closure of nuclear plants.

Environmental Defense Fund :: Has received minimum of $60 million from oil, gas, & renewables investors who would directly benefit from EDF's anti-nuclear advocacy.

WISE International :: Funded by renewable energy interests that stand to profit from the closure of nuclear plants.

Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC) :: Funded by natural gas and renewable energy interests that stand to profit from the closure of nuclear plants.

Greenpeace :: Works to kill nuclear power around the world and refuses to disclose its donors.

Friends of the Earth :: Works to kill nuclear power around the world and refuses to disclose its donors.

Background

"Why Nuclear is in Crisis." This is a summary of how anti-nuclear organizations — allied with, funded by, and invested in fossil fuels and renewable energy — have been working for over 50 years to kill our largest source of clean energy, nuclear power.

Articles

“If Progressive Democrats Care So Much About The Climate, Why Are They Trying to Kill Nuclear Power?” Democrats went from being vehemently pro-nuclear in the 1950s to vehemently anti-nuclear in the 1970s. What happened?

"If Nuclear Power Is So Safe, Why Are We So Afraid Of It?" Forbes, June 11, 2018. Study after study in top scientific journals find that nuclear power plants are far and away the safest way to make reliable electricity. Why then are we so afraid of them?

"Billionaire Energy Speculator Tom Steyer Bankrolls Arizona Initiative That Would Close America's Single Largest Source of Clean Energy," April 10, 2018. Steyer is paying for an Arizona ballot initiative that would prematurely close the state’s sole nuclear plant — which is also America’s largest single source of clean energy — and replace it with fossil fuels.

"Zero Dark Nuclear." April 4, 2018. Seven nuclear plants in Ohio and Pennsylvania produce 30 percent more power than all of the solar in the United States. If they are closed, the future of our largest source of clean energy is dark.

"Jerry Brown's Secret War on Nuclear," April 5, 2018. A comprehensive history of the anti-nuclear movement's origins in California, and the special role played by Gov. Jerry Brown in killing nuclear plants.

"Saving Power in Danger," October 30, 2017. Covers the origins of anti-nuclear/pro-renewables thinking from 1950s to today.

Enemies of the Earth: Unmasking the Dirty War Against Clean Energy in South Korea by Friends of the Earth (FOE) and Greenpeace, October 15, 2017. Describes fear-mongering efforts starting in the 1970s through to today in the U.S., Europe, and Asia.

"Greenpeace’s Dirty War on Clean Energy, Part I: South Korean Version," July 25, 2017. Describes Greenpeace's efforts to replace nuclear plants in South Korea with natural gas and renewables.

"Atomic Humanism as Radical Innovation," June 12, 2017. Describes origins of anti-nuclear movement and the nuclear industry's failure to understand and cope with the attacks.

"Why the War on Nuclear Threatens Us All," March 28, 2017. Article describes effort by Ohio and other coal-polluted states in the 1970s to deploy nuclear energy to reduce pollution — and how Sierra Club and Ralph Nader fought nuclear and sought coal instead.

Other Publications of Interest:

"Uranium & Nuclear Power are on the Move ... Again !" A Presentation made by the Chair of the Uranium (Nuclear & REE) Committee at the 2020 AAPG-EMD Virtual Conference: Let's Confront and Tackle the Issues about Energy Resources and Use - A PDF of the presentation (with link to narration) and with links to references.

"Beyond Hydrocarbons? ... The Rest of the Story" Fall, 2020. An article on how nuclear power is in competition with natural gas and renewables, with coal use fading fast but still dominating the power-generating industry in the U.S. and in the world. Examines the issues of the past nuclear power incidents and how the media play a role in fixing the fear of radiation although no one died in Three-Island or in Fukushima, with Chernobyl a special case of mismanagement and ill-fated design. Describes the inherent failings of wind and solar projects, and how the U.S. has sufficient access to uranium fuel for at least 100 years, and how to look at used nuclear fuel and subsidies that fossil fuel (natural gas and coal) still receive, while nuclear is far behind the line. SMRs are discussed and the fear of radiation is also discussed in some detail. A comprehensive reference list is included as links to the I2M Web Portal.

"Confronting Media and other Bias Against Uranium Exploration and Mining, Nuclear Power, and Associated Environmental Issues" in Journal of  Geology and Geoscience, Volume 2(1): 2018. Discusses the methods used by anti-nuclear and anti-uranium groups to cast dispersions on nuclear power and uranium mining. Included are 27 reviews of papers that demonstrate how some local public servants, activists, and news media are sowing the seeds of misinformation, and creating unnecessary controversy and mistrust around the U.S. This includes the dissemination of blatantly biased articles related specifically to inhibiting the expansion of uranium mining and nuclear power development while being privately funded by oil and gas and renewable industries.