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Nuclear Waste Threatens Wisconsin's Pristine Wolf River George Rock, a longtime angler on the Wolf River in Langlade County, has fought for more than 40 years to protect the health of his community and the river he uses and loves. A grandfather, retired civil engineer, and vice-chair of the Wolf River Chapter of Trout Unlimited, George is concerned that the Bush administration's emphasis on opening more nuclear power plants will create the need for a large nuclear waste dump on the headwaters of the Wolf River. George Rock and his wife Marilyn have been working to protect their community and family for more than 30 years so that their grandson, Joshua can have a better future. Photo: Dave Blouin Renowned for its natural beauty, the Wolf River Basin boasts some of the most pristine river areas in the Midwest, if not the nation. People from all over the country come here to fish for wild trout and enjoy excellent river sports such as whitewater rafting and kayaking. Bordered by Upper Green Bay, the Wolf River Basin serves as the headwaters for Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin's largest inland lake, and the region's economy depends on tourist dollars from outdoor recreation. Even so, and in the face of scientific evidence warning about the perils of more nuclear waste, the Bush administration is pursuing plans that could designate the Wolf River Basin as a high-level nuclear waste dump, putting jobs, public health, and the environment at risk. George and his concerned neighbors know we can do better. While Nevada residents continue to fight to keep nuclear waste out of Yucca Mountain, Wisconsin residents are concerned that they're next on the list to receive radioactive waste when the Yucca Mountain site becomes full. The Wolf River Basin is in the Bush administration's sights as a nuclear dump site because of its granite subsurface structure, or batholith. George says the Department of Energy knows that the Wolf River Batholith is deeply fractured, and tests have shown water flowing through the cracks. "Even with all of the scientific evidence not to place a high level radioactive dump here in the Wolf River Basin, the Bush administration is still interested in the site," he says. "It simply makes no sense." The administration is promoting more nuclear power, but it clearly has no concrete plans for dealing with the deadly waste produced by nuclear plants. Putting nuclear waste in a central location where it could easily poison local communities is an unacceptable and irresponsible solution to the problem of radioactive waste disposal. Instead of threatening communities across America with the prospect of being declared a nuclear waste dump site, the Bush administration should support the widespread use of renewable energy sources like wind and solar power which create no waste. Residents of the Wolf River Basin worry that more nuclear power plants could lead to higher electricity rates in Wisconsin because of the increasing price for the disposal of spent nuclear rods. Wisconsin now receives 17 percent of its electricity from nuclear power. According to the Wisconsin Clean Energy Plan, greater energy efficiency, conservation, and clean energy generation would greatly reduce the need for dangerous new nuclear power plants, polluting coal-fired power plants, or even more controversial power lines. Studies by the University of Wisconsin and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources show that renewable energy, cleaner fuels, and greater energy efficiency could save Wisconsin consumers $490 million, create 8,500 new jobs, and reduce air pollution by 70 billion pounds.1 George Rock is tired of fighting one bad proposal after another that threaten his community and the region he calls home. "We should be writing and telling the Bush administration to give us clean energy, not nuclear waste," he says. "Why produce this waste if it is dangerous and you don't have a safe way to dispose of it? There are other means of producing energy that are clean and safe." 1Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Cost Study and the Economic and Greenhouse Gas Emission Impacts of Electric Energy Efficiency Investments: A Wisconsin Case Study, http://dnr.wi.gov/org/aw/air/GLOBAL/WICCAP.pdf For more information contact: Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter (608) 256-0565 caryl.terrell@sierraclub.org Clean Wisconsin 608-251-6070 www.cleanwisconsin.org Wisconsin Public Services Commission (608) 267-7898 Up to Top HOME | Email Signup | About Us | Contact Us | Terms of Use | © 2008 Sierra Club