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A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Michael Mariotte, Executive Director
301-270-6477; nirsnet@nirs.org

Anti-Nuclear Actions Planned Across US to Commemorate Chernobyl and Fukushima Disasters

Protests, Rallies and Other Events Planned in at Least 16 States

WASHINGTON

Anti-nuclear protests, rallies and other public events are scheduled to take place in at least 16 states in coming days to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe as well as the ongoing disaster at Fukushima. They will also draw attention to the need to end reliance on nuclear power in the U.S.

Currently, actions are planned in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland (to be posted tonight), Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Nevada and Wisconsin.

"As we celebrate Earth Day today, the movement for a nuclear-free carbon-free future is alive and rising," said Michael Mariotte, executive director of Nuclear Information and Resource Service. "In the wake of Fukushima, public opinion polls show a majority of Americans solidly against new reactor construction and increasingly skeptical about the safety of nuclear power. The extraordinary costs of new reactors already had turned a nuclear "renaissance" into an industry pipedream, but now there is a growing realization that we need to close dangerous existing reactors as quickly as possible and speed the transition to a clean energy future."

"It is either outrageous, tragic, or laughable that on this Earth Day, the nuclear industry continues to issue statements and Tweets that nuclear power is "safe," Mariotte added. "Do they think the world did not see three reactors explode last month, releasing poisonous radiation across the globe? We ask the nuclear industry to let us know when we can expect to see a wind farm explode on our TV screens."

"The reality," Mariotte continued, "is that the nuclear industry and governments across the world assured the public that nuclear accidents were a rare occurrence--something that could happen only once every ten thousand years. Now we know major nuclear accidents occur about once every ten years. That's not acceptable. The technology now exists to achieve a safe, clean and affordable nuclear-free carbon-free energy system before mid-century. It's time our policymakers take the steps necessary to attain that goal."

Lists of planned actions are compiled on NIRS website at: https://www.nirs.org/action.htm.

This page is updated nightly. This release is available at: https://www.nirs.org/nukerelapse/whattodo/actionspr42211.pdf

Nuclear Information and Resource Service is the information and networking center for people and organizations concerned about nuclear power, radioactive waste, radiation, and sustainable energy issues.