Executive Summary

The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska is located on the eastern side of Nebraska. The Tribe is also near Woodbury County, Iowa, rural communities, and the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska. The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors recently announced hosting a series of public hearings about changing zoning ordinances to allow future nuclear energy projects. Although nuclear is hailed as a powerful carbon-free emission energy source, there are disadvantages that create challenges for Tribal and rural communities. Extreme climate, risk mitigation, and nuclear waste disposal are amongst those challenges that could be devastating to communities.

What is Nuclear Energy?

Gas, liquids, and solids are made up of molecules. Molecules are made up of tiny particles known as “atoms.” Each atom contains a nucleus (core). The core consists of protons and neutrons surrounded by electrons. Protons carry a positive charge. Neutrons are neutral. Electrons are negatively charged. There is an enormous energy source within these bonds that can be released if broken. This is done by nuclear fission. Thus, all nuclear power plants utilize nuclear fission or nuclear fusion to create nuclear energy. Uranium atoms are primarily used in nuclear power plants. Nuclear fission takes place which releases energy in the form of heat and radiation. Nuclear fusion is the nuclear chain reaction of combining atoms to create one large nucleus: similar to stars like the sun.

The Advantages of Nuclear Energy

Nuclear energy is the world’s second low-carbon emission energy source that provides a high-power output next to hydropower. A single nuclear plant can generate electricity for millions of homes. Unlike solar and wind, nuclear power plants leave a relatively smaller land footprint while delivering a powerful source of electricity. By utilizing nuclear energy, our nation could be less dependent on fossil fuels which can strengthen the nation’s energy security. Although there has been a negative stigma surrounding nuclear power plants, there is a market resurgence. Most concerns surround the potential for a nuclear meltdown or explosion leading to mass casualties. There have been three notable incidents of nuclear accidents: Three Mile Island (1979), Chernobyl (1986), and Fukushima (2011). Chernobyl is the only nuclear accident to date with significant environmental and health impacts. In Critical Reflections on Nuclear and Renewable Energy… (2014), Kuo shares, “The probability of a nuclear accident is minimal. Physicist B. L. Cohen has concluded in a study on life expectancy and radiation risk from nuclear power plants that, even if a person lived his or her entire life in the vicinity of a nuclear power plant, the impact on life expectancy would be far less on average than that due to non-nuclear-related accidents.”¹

The Challenges

Although there are advantages to nuclear energy, there are also drawbacks. High upfront costs could reach billions. Construction time could take several years before the project is fully completed and up to date with safety and regulatory standards. In addition, taxpayers could be paying for a portion of the insurance that could limit the liability of nuclear plant operators in the event of an accident through the Price-Anderson Act passed in March 2024. For Tribal nations and rural communities, a lack of funding and resources for risk mitigation and cleanup would be further harmful if such an event took place. With the historic events of being forcibly removed to unfavored lands, Tribal nations should not be put in a position to be displaced again, nor should their natural resources be put at risk of potential contamination.

In 2011, Fukushima experienced a large earthquake that produced a tsunami reaching up to 46-foot. The earthquake and tsunami disabled the power supply and cooling system of three reactors. This caused a partial nuclear meltdown where toxic radioactive materials were released into the atmosphere. There were approximately over 150,000 people ordered to evacuate and never returned home. The Fukushima Dachii nuclear plant is still undergoing extensive clean up and anticipating decades before completed. Extreme weather such as high-level flooding, derechos, and tornadoes can impact nuclear power plants by having the ability to cut off power and shut down reactors. This could be detrimental to communities living nearby, especially Tribal and rural communities.

Nuclear waste is the end product of nuclear energy. This waste primarily consists of spent nuclear fuel which is created by uranium. During nuclear fission, uranium is then turned into radioactive isotopes. Other elements used during the fission process are also highly radioactive. There are three levels of nuclear waste: high-level, intermediate-level, and low-level. Exposure to radiation, especially over a length of time, can have serious health implications such as Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS), cancer, cardiovascular disease, cataracts, infertility, and birth defects. In the event of a nuclear mishap, it could have devastating impacts on not only human health, but economic development and taxpayer dollars.

The methods of nuclear waste disposal depend on the classification (i.e. low-level, high-level). Low-level waste (LLW) is considered clothing, tools, and equipment exposed to radiation within nuclear facilities over time. These items are stored in near-land disposal facilities. Intermediate-level waste (ILW) and high-level waste (HLW) are often cooled down at reactor sites or centrally located sites in dry casks or pools which allows the decay of radioactivity and safe handling possible. There is much discussion around what the final management of disposal will be, that is environmentally sound, publicly accepted, and safe. As of right now, nuclear waste is currently being held in geological repositories.

Uranium mining is used to extract uranium ore. Other Tribal Nations like the Navajo nation are deeply impacted by the negative consequences that stem from uranium mining. Contaminated water sources, serious health implications (i.e. lung cancer, bone cancer, and kidney disease), lack of clean up funding for contamination, and a lack of tribal consent are some of those negative outcomes experienced.  

Even with regulatory standards, procedures, and policies put into place for a full-proof operation of nuclear energy facilities, human error is still an unknown variable to factor in.

Recommendations

Partnering with Stakeholders

Partnering with public elected officials from rural, Tribal, and local communities could be helpful as each community may have it its own unique challenges. However, there may be a lot of similarities. Being able to show up and support each other can be influential to decisions made around nuclear energy in the Midwest.

Community Engagement

By offering free educational events on nuclear energy with experts leading the conversation can help inform and empower the community. This could help community members to show up to public hearings and voice their praises and/or concerns about nuclear energy.

Safety and Transparency

No matter what size of project – safety and transparency are important. Examples of exhibiting safety and transparency is allowing quality assurance reports, budgets, standard operating procedures, and risk mitigation plans to be made public.

Resilient Community Action Plan

It’s always best to prepare for the worst-case scenario. Gathering community input to create a clear roadmap to mitigate future risks is important. Decision makers should put together a clear, concise plan, educate their community, and communicate any ongoing issues in the future.

¹ Kuo, Way. Critical Reflections on Nuclear and Renewable Energy : Environmental Protection and Safety in the Wake of the Fukushima Nuclear Accident, John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated, 2014.