Nuclear
Issues In Our TimesNuclear
Issues In Our Times2007 Nuclear Issues In Our Times Essay Contest Winner
I moved to Nevada in 2003 from the San Francisco Bay Area and I thought I would never refer to this place as my home. However, as time passed I started to appreciate the culture, people, and land of Nevada. Then, when I was a sophomore at Reno High my science teacher did a unit on nuclear waste and Yucca Mountain; after her lecture I felt compelled to do something. This was our home they were talking about and it seemed that no one cared. I feel that this essay could help in showing the federal government that Nevadans care and that Nevada is NOT a wasteland.
Most people are proud of where they come from, but Nevadans are quite tenacious about their love for the state. Nevada has managed to stay (for the most part) rural and even the cities have a small town feel to them. I think that is the reason why the federal government chose us for a waste dump; we have a lot of land (and most is owned by the government.) but not a large population. What would it be like, having our state as a nuclear waste dump? Would Nevada's value decrease?
I believe that Nevada's value would decrease in a major way. Las Vegas is the fastest growing city in the nation and Yucca Mountain is only 90 miles away from the city. The passing of Yucca Mountain would greatly reduce the influx of people moving there. Nevada already has a negative image in the American publics' eyes, what with the highest drop out rates, teen pregnancy, divorces, and crystal meth users. Add on a nuclear waste dump and no one will want to come here. This would also lead to a decrease in tourism in Las Vegas, which is Nevada's biggest source of revenue. All of these deficits would lead to less money for our schools, roads, and other public welfare, this could also possibly create a Nevada state income tax.
Another travesty that could be brought on by Yucca Mountain is the toll it will take on mother earth and the peoples' perspective her. Even though the geological issues in question wouldn't happen for at least a century we as a people should care about the future of our Earth as it is our only home. One of these issues is the nuclear waste leaking into our water supply. Yucca Mountain has cracks and fissures (as does any geological formation) that could potentially let nuclear waste seep through. The DOE claims that the tuff within Yucca Mountain and its thermal and chemical properties make it a good place to store radioactive waste. However, since the studies conclusion, precipitation in southern Nevada has increased; it is impossible to predict the weather 100 years from now, but it is obvious that weather is inconsistent and could be subject to drastic changes. Another geological problem would be Nevada ranks number three in the nation for seismic activity, and big fault lines lay within a fifty mile vicinity from the Yucca Mountain site. Within that vicinity 621 seismic actions have been recorded since 1976. Although these instabilities seem to be overlooked now, these could have fatal outcomes in the future.
It seems that the DOE's "thorough" research of Yucca Mountain missed a few major points. They may have done an absolute (if that) scientific portion, but they failed to perform a key part in this issue: the people's thoughts. If we are a democracy, should not the fate of Yucca be in the hands- of the civilians- who- it would affect the most? Perhaps if more Nevadans stood up and protect our mother earth, maybe together we can stop the destruction of our state, let alone our planet.
Bibliography:
1. no author, Federal site, "Education" http://www.state.nv.us
2. Wikipedia online encyclopedia, "Yucca Mountain" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y ucca_Mountain#Geology