The Weapon of Mass Destruction In Our Neighborhood

Hattie Nestel and Paki Wieland place effigies of themselves at the Vermont Yankee plant in Vernon, Vermont, on April 11, 2006. They left effigies instead of remaining at the site themselves to avoid the effects of radiation from th

Vermont Yankee, a 34-year-old nuclear power plant in the heart of New England, has been a focus for Citizens’ Awareness Network (CAN) for decades. The public’s concerns about daily radioactive emissions and possible catastrophes in the event of an accident or a terrorist attack have been ignored, despite massive demonstrations, community referenda, legal initiatives, and appeals to the Vermont Public Safety Board, governor, and legislature. In November of 2005, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission allowed a 20% increase in power output (see Peacework, November 2005) and now seems ready to approve a license extension without requiring either an adequate evacuation plan or an independent safety assessment (independent evaluations of the nuclear reactors at Maine Yankee, Millstone One, and Connecticut Yankee turned up so many safety problems that these plants were decommissioned). It is time to step up our activism.
Affinity groups have gone to the headquarters of Entergy, the company that owns the plant, each month since November with different creative actions that send a clear message that we do not want Vermont Yankee providing our electricity. Entergy doesn’t want the publicity of public trials so the prosecutor has been dropping the charges.
To help demonstrate the danger of radiation and the lack of security at Vermont Yankee, six of us drove into Vermont Yankee’s driveway in broad daylight, unloaded a truck full of our homemade, life-sized effigies, placed them next to the Entergy sign, had our pictures taken by a newspaper photographer, and left without being challenged.
In February, monks and nuns from the Leverett Peace Pagoda led 125 walkers through downtown Brattleboro to Entergy’s headquarters with a clear message that Vermont Yankee was dangerous and must be shut down for the safety of the community.
Just last month, Vermonters successfully petitioned their state legislators to enact a bill requiring approval by the state legislature, not just the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, on any petitions for the extension of the plant’s license. All these visible displays are strengthening public resolve to make sure that Vermont Yankee’s license does not get an extension beyond its current legal shutdown date of 2012.
Massachusetts residents are petitioning the Attorney General and the state legislature to stop buying Vermont Yankee power from the national grid.
The numbers attending CAN’s bi-monthly meetings have quadrupled as we surge ahead on many fronts. Volunteers are tabling with CAN literature and talking to people at local events. Weekly vigils are held in Brattleboro.
We emphasize both the inherent danger of nuclear power and the issue of emergency preparedness. We have produced maps showing distances from Vermont Yankee to most New England towns and New York. CAN is holding “Nukes 101” classes and showing videos related to the Chernobyl accident. (A three-day fast and die-in to mark Chernobyl Day in Brattleboro was widely publicized and well attended.) Door-to-door canvassing is beginning.
As we work to shut down Vermont Yankee, we also need to lobby for state and federal subsidies to implement conservation and energy-efficient technologies that will lessen our energy needs and provide safe, affordable, and sustainable energy for our future.
Please help shut down Vermont Yankee, which is a weapon of mass destruction in our own neighborhood, threatening our lives, the lives of our children, and the possibility of continuing to live in New England.
Come join us in a Walk for a Nuclear-free Future, August 6-9. See page 23.