8 States Want Stiffer Safeguards to Thwart Nuclear Plant Attacks

[struggle4progress]

Attorneys general from California and other states with atomic power stations ask the NRC to adopt rules addressing threats such as 9/11's.

By Dan Weikel, Times Staff Writer

The attorneys general from eight states, including Bill Lockyer of California, are urging federal regulators to bolster security at the nation's nuclear power plants, including protections against the type of attack that destroyed the World Trade Center on Sept. 11. <snip>

"The standard defining the threat against which owners must protect nuclear power plants remains essentially what it was in the 1970s — a land attack by no more than four men," states one letter signed by seven of the eight officials. "The NRC should upgrade the threat to reflect the realities of 2005." <snip>

Urging the NRC to make security upgrades are state attorneys general Lockyer, Eliot Spitzer of New York, Lisa Madigan of Illinois, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Terry Goddard of Arizona, Peg Lautenschlager of Wisconsin, Mike Beebe of Arkansas and Jane Brady of Delaware. Seven of the officials sent their letter Monday. Brady sent a separate letter Jan. 21. <snip>

"The states are very concerned about the federal failure to upgrade protections at some of the most dangerous facilities in our country after 9/11," said Dan Hirsch, a co-founder of the Santa Cruz-based group. <snip>

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/state/la-me-nukes26jan26,1,1860470.story?coll=la-news-state

[CBHagman]

1. Trying to avoid one of the ultimate nightmares.

From what I've read, every one of those attorney generals is right to be pushing this. I've read that this is one of the most persistent and terrifying dangers, along with attacks on chemical tankers and the like.

[ban-one]

2. How about get rid of them

We don't need that much power anyway.
Why do we need all that power? It just adds to the thought that we are greedy.
Where does all that energy go? To huge SUVs, big screen tvs, and those dumb lights that those fundies put up at xmas time.
There is absolutely no need for that and those nuclear plants need to be shut down ASAP.

[uppityperson]

3. And who needs to use their computers that much! shut them down.

Stupid greedy people just hanging out on bazillions of computers all night. Think of the power it'd save to shut them off.

[genieroze]

4. I live right near one of the oldest power plants in the country and NJ

isn't on that list? :wtf: