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Editorial: Endangered Species -- May We Ask Why?
May 2nd, 2007

Editorial: Editorial: a Free Press
April 21st, 2007

Editorial: Airboat Noise
April 7th, 2007

Editorial: Another Delay in Dock Repair
March 5th, 2007

Editorial: Are Some Technological Wonders Economically Impractical?
February 27th, 2007

Editorial: Editorial: Weakest Tax Link Examined
December 22nd, 2006

Editorial: A New Year`s Resolution -- For the Levy County Commission
December 10th, 2006

Editorial: Political Tides
November 17th, 2006

Editorial: Blue Pencil Needed on Levy County Budget
October 30th, 2006

Editorial: Fiscal Incompetence?
October 2nd, 2006

Editorial: Paddlers May Get Hit in Pocket
September 18th, 2006

Editorial: Time for Another Cedar Key Tea Party?
August 30th, 2006

Editorial: Automotive Turning Point
August 11th, 2006

Editorial: Are There Limits to Southern Hospitality?
July 24th, 2006

Editorial: Armadillos and Anthros
July 9th, 2006

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Status of Nuclear Power as Savior

Status of Nuclear Power as Savior

Editor

On the anniversary of the continuing disaster at the Fukushima nuclear power plant the Japanese are reevaluating their commitment to nuclear power as an answer to environmentally sensible electricity dependence. On March 8 Japanese officials shut down 52 of Japan`s 54 nuclear power plants. The Prime Minister supports phase-out of nuclear power. German policy is going in the same direction. One more disaster like Chernobyl, Fukushima or Three Mile Island and other nations may follow suit.


The Fukushima disaster had three fatal factors: poor site choice, poor plant design and inadequate government oversight. The location at sea level opened the door to flooding. Backup power supply for cooling pumps was poorly designed. Failure of the Japanese government to require safer siting and design exacerbated the disaster.


Closer to home, much closer, the Levy County nuclear power plant proposed by Progress Energy must be reevaluated in light of the Fukushima catastrophe. The nearby Crystal River nuclear power plant owned by Progress Energy suffers from poor siting, at sea level. It is also an example of poor design in that it is the six plants of similar design four have had problems. (Details upon request.)


The flooding in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 have demonstrated that the U.S. government oversight and responses are no more reassuring than the oversight and response in Japan.


Recognition of carbon dioxide as the cause of global warming is clear to all but the willfully ignorant and the oil and coal industries. Burning oil, gas and coal produces carbon dioxide.


Solar and wind as answers to global warming are long-term solutions. Conservation, in contrast to NASCAR charm, must be a bigger factor if we are to survive. Does anyone other than emergency vehicles need to go more than 60 mph? The G.M. hybrid automobile has a 175 horse power engine to charge the batteries and has a top speed of 100 mph. What madness! Fifty years ago cars with half that power could go 100 mph. Conservation will not come from Detroit. Conservation will come from a public that rewards better design.

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