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Arrests made in nuclear protests
Protest at Lake Anna ends with six arrests
Date published: 8/8/2008
BY ELLEN BILTZ "Nuclear is not the answer." That was the message Mary Olson and her organization, Nuclear Watch South, were trying to send yesterday in their protest of Dominion Power's North Anna Power Station. The protest, which the group said was a peaceful sit-in at the station's visitors center, ended in six arrests by the Louisa County Sheriff's Office, Olson said. Phone calls to the Sheriff's Office were not returned yesterday and the specific charges of the protestors was unknown. Olson said initially 15 people went into the visitors center about 2 p.m. yesterday, and six of them refused to leave when the center closed at 4 p.m. She said those arrested intentionally stayed at the visitors center after closing hours and expected the police action. Nuclear Watch South, along with groups Blue Ridge Earth First and Rising Tide North America participated in the protest in an attempt to send the message of awareness about the effects nuclear power can have on society, including waste production and increased water temperature, Olson said. She added that the protest is timely because of Dominion's intention to add a new nuclear reactor at the power station. "Building new nuclear power reactors is the wrong idea," she said. "We wanted to make that point." Dominion Power is in the final application stage of adding a possible third nuclear unit--two already exist at the nuclear plant, which sits near Mineral on the 14,000-acre Lake Anna. Richard Zuercher, spokesman for Dominion's nuclear operations, said, "Dominion respects peaceful protest. We don't condone illegal acts." He said the protest was peaceful and no harm was done to the visitors center. Jerry Rosenthal, a longtime opponent of the North Anna reactor plan, was not involved in yesterday's protest, but applauded the action. "It's nice for me to see young people who are aware and committed, and willing to put themselves on the line," said Rosenthal, who lives in Louisa County not far from the plant. Olson said her group hoped that yesterday's protest would just shine additional light on a growing issue in Louisa. "A lot of people don't even know they're trying to build a third reactor," she said. Ellen Biltz: 540/374-5424
Read more stories about Louisa Date published: 8/8/2008
not just kids
(posted by
keltay3
, Aug. 11, 2008 1:30 am)
These are the older protesters, training up a new generation of passionate obstructionists. Since they have neither numbers nor facts on their side (most people want more nukes for clean, reliable baseload power and nuclear's safety record and electrical output has been quietly and impressively growing for 30 years) they will cast themselves as heroes. They sought to get incarcerated and succeeded for a few hours. What did that achieve, other than this news story?
I love nukes..
(posted by
Mandrake
, Aug. 8, 2008 7:26 pm)
why else is our electricity around here so cheap compared to other areas..like Maryland; the price there is double ours.
These were just kids.....
(posted by
Dharma41
, Aug. 8, 2008 11:36 am)
looking for attention. For them it's fun. It's the older ones (protesters/opponents) that worry me. You'd think eventually they'd grow up and learn about the world around them. But, some never do.
Brave and/or ignorant
(posted by
stuartmj
, Aug. 8, 2008 8:19 am)
Did they realize that while they were protesting a reactor that hasn't even been built, there were two reactors already operating on that site? Did they realize that the two operational reactors have been providing safe, clean, and low-cost electricity to Virginia for 30 years?
Though probably well-intentioned, these protestors were either very brave or very ignorant. Considering that nuclear energy is vital to Virginia's ability to achieve low carbon emissions, I'd guess the latter.
If N Anna was so dangerous...
(posted by
Tamerlane
, Aug. 8, 2008 5:32 am)
Would the engineers who run the place live next to it with their familes were it not safe? Are they that bereft of humanity that they would do that for PR purposes? More people were killed at Chappaquiddick than Three Mile Island. And, if you invoke Chernobyl, then you need to study Western VS Soviet reactors. Reactors are certainly not problem free, but they are a helluva lot better than any current, viable energy source.
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