Releasing contaminated water into the ocean or other water bodies could have severe, long-term impacts on drinking water supplies and aquatic life.

In an opinion piece in Governing, LZ Granderson assesses the potential impact of nuclear waste on the world’s bodies of water, just as Japan begins to release contaminated (if diluted) water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean and a Canadian power plant is proposing storing nuclear waste a half mile away from a Great Lake.
According to Granderson, “The prospect of releasing radioactive water into the ocean should scare people more than a little,” adding, “Anyone trying to persuade us otherwise is preying on our flawed old thinking about water and the ocean — that they’re infinite and unchanging.”
While nuclear energy does help reduce carbon emissions, the threat to our drinking water supply and sea life shouldn’t be underestimated, Granderson writes. “In response to the decision to dump radioactive water, China has already banned all Japanese seafood imports, a crushing blow given it’s one of Japan’s top seafood export destinations.”
Granderson concludes with a warning: “Scientists have offered assurance that properly treated radioactive water will have only negligible effects when further diluted in the ocean. But experts also assured us that the Fukushima power plant was safe, until it wasn’t.”
FULL STORY: Nuclear Power Could Save Our Air Quality. At What Cost to the Water?

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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