NIMBY? Train or a Nuke?

[Sun Dog]

Every now and then an event demonstrates that it is safer to live in the shadow of a nuclear power plant than within ear shot of a train track.  I hope not too many folks were injured.


Train derailment, fire forces Ohio evacuations
AP –
ARCADIA, Ohio – A freight train carrying volatile chemicals derailed about 50 miles south of Toledo Sunday morning, causing at least 15 tanker cars to catch fire and explode and forcing evacuations of nearby homes, a fire official said. No injuries have been reported.
Capt. Jim Breyman of the Arcadia Fire Department said the call came in at about 2:15 a.m., and estimates 15 to 18 tanker cars carrying ethanol derailed.
About 20 homes were evacuated in the area about two miles west of the village of Arcadia, but it was unclear exactly how many people were in those homes, he said.
The scene was intense and dramatic.
"We're talking fireballs," he said of the explosion. "When they went thousands of feet in the air, they could be seen from 20-plus miles away."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110206/ap_on_re_us/us_derailment_fire

[Sun Dog]

Train tracks vs. a nuclear power plant?  That may be a bit too obvious.  Even a devout NIMBY type would pick the safety and benefits of nuclear power.  What if the choice was between a nuclear generating station and something as innocent sounding as Millard Refrigerated Services?  What would the NIMBY choose for a neighbor?


"The CSB is investigating an anhydrous ammonia release at the Millard Refrigerated Services, a warehouse and distribution center in Theodore, Alabama, 15 miles south of Mobile where more than 130 members of the public sought medical attention and four people remain hospitalized as a result of the uncontrolled ammonia release."

http://www.csb.gov/investigations/detail.aspx?SID=98&Type=1&pg=1&F_All=y

[Sun Dog]

A few headlines from last week for the NIMBYs to mull over.


Quincy, IL; Chlorine leak at the Quincy Water Pollution Control Facility

Woonsocket, RI; Abandoned mill burns, area evacuated

Phoenix, AZ; Explosion at processing plant sparks hazmat situation

LaGrange, MO; Fire consumes plastic recycling facility

Livonia, MI; Firefighters extinguish blaze at Ford Transmission Plant

Huntington, WV; Worker critically injured in an explosion at city garage

Lakewood, WA; Natural gas explosion near the Pierce Transit admin building

Mapunapuna, HI; Workers at Coca Cola Bottling facility evacuated after release of ammonia

Sanborn, NY; Employee at St. Gobain Ceramics was hurt in fire at the industrial facility

Chicago, IL; Fire at the Imperial Zinc factory on the far South Side snarls traffic

Hickory, PA; Fire at gas site contained

Charleston, WV; 20 pounds of ammonia leaked at DuPont's Belle plant

Island Lake, IL; Fire claims machine shop

Enid, OK; No injuries reported in grain elevator fire

Portsmouth, RI; Chlorine leak at a water treatment plant

St. Nazianz, WI; Fire destroys foundry - $2 million in damages

Onalaska, WI; Chlorine leak at the well house on 11th Avenue

Houston, TX; Explosion and fire engulf petrochemical complex - one worker unaccounted for

Burkesville, KY; Worker at metal fabrication plant in critical condition after an explosion

Columbia, SC; Workers evacuated during fire at chicken processing plant

Bethesda, NC; Two people transported to hospital after exposure to anhydrous ammonia

Dayton, OH; Firefighters responded to another fire at Franklin Iron and Metal

Cheverly, MD; Ammonia leak forces 100 employees to evacuate Smithfield Packaging Co.

[Sun Dog]

Here is a bit good news to share with your NIMBY acquaintances.  Apparently, the increased background rad levels associated with living in a high altitude location are good for you (the purist may think I am taking liberties here)!!!  Tell them all to move to Denver!!!

5 Ways to Cheat Death
By Julie Stewart, Men's Health
Thu, Feb 10, 2011

Live Higher Up

The science: A 2009 study of people in Switzerland found that those living at high altitudes had a 22 percent lower risk of dying of coronary heart disease.

[RDTroja]

Here is a bit good news to share with your NIMBY acquaintances.  Apparently, the increased background rad levels associated with living in a high altitude location are good for you (the purist may think I am taking liberties here)!!!  Tell them all to move to Denver!!!

5 Ways to Cheat Death
By Julie Stewart, Men's Health
Thu, Feb 10, 2011

Live Higher Up

The science: A 2009 study of people in Switzerland found that those living at high altitudes had a 22 percent lower risk of dying of coronary heart disease.

This isn't really a new idea. Some of the longest living people in the world live in the mountains in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia... there was even a TV commercial (for yogurt, apparently they consume a lot of it) about them. According to sources I read a long time ago (pre-Chernobyl,) the background levels around their village are about 3 Rem/yr from the altitude and the NORM in the ground.

[Sun Dog]

This isn't really a new idea. Some of the longest living people in the world live in the mountains in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia... there was even a TV commercial (for yogurt, apparently they consume a lot of it) about them. According to sources I read a long time ago (pre-Chernobyl,) the background levels around their village are about 3 Rem/yr from the altitude and the NORM in the ground.

True.  It is not new news.  But the industry does not need new news.  The industry needs to exploit the facts, serving them in a palatable format so the NIMBYs can see the light.  A good PR campaign can have the Mothers for Peace believing in the hormesis hypothesis.

[ski2313]

Enlighten the new guy...

What's a NIMBY?   

[Marlin]

Not In My Back Yard

[HydroDave63]

Enlighten the new guy...

What's a NIMBY?   

Lately it resembles:

N ubs

I nsist

M embers

B enefit

Y ou

[Sun Dog]

...anywere you live there could be some sort of man made catasrophe.

Mankind had nothing to do with the most recent large scale catastrophes (Japan and the Southern US).