Emotions ran high as citizens discussed a proposed nuclear waste reprocessing plant in Piketon yesterday in Athens.
The uranium enrichment facility in Piketon ' 60 miles southwest of Athens ' is one of 11 proposed locations for a reprocessing plant.
Discussions about the plant were relocated to Athens after complaints that public hearings in Piketon were not permitting critics of the project to voice their opinion.
The proposed plan would use the uranium enrichment facility in Piketon as a nuclear waste reprocessing plant.
They people who work (at the plant) are your friends
neighbors relatives G said Bernie Carrick of Athens, who has worked at the Piketon plant for 10 years.
There have never been any safety problems and the company has always been honest about the workings of the uranium plant, Carrick said.
Should an accident occur, leaking high levels of radioactive waste, Athens could be affected because of its proximity to Piketon and the surrounding wind patterns, said Teresa Mills, director of the Buckeye Environmental Network.
Citizens voiced worries that the plant will become a nuclear dump G
Simonton said.
There would only be as much nuclear waste brought in as the plant can efficiently reprocess, and this does not mean that 50 years of nuclear waste from across the country would come to Piketon, said Simonton.
We have forms of safe and renewable energy. Nuclear power plants were a mistake 50 years ago and they're a mistake now
said Gary Houser, co-producer of a documentary on nuclear issues.
This defies logic and common sense because it does not take on the real issue of rural communities being forced to take on these projects that no one else wants for economic reasons
said Mills.
They're dangling a poisoned carrot in front of starving people
Mills added.
Piketon carries a legacy of disease and death as a result of the radioactive materials at the original plant, therefore, residents resist more nuclear waste being brought in, said project opponent Joni Fearing.
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Ashley Luthern
