November 30, 1973
Senator James Devitt
Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, and Welfare
State Capitol
Madison, Wisconsin 53700
Dear Senator Devitt:
I have learned from Senator LaFollette that your committee is considering
the question of the proposed construction of several nuclear fission power plants
in Wisconsin.
One characteristic of these power plants is that they lead to some increase
in the amount of exposure of human beings to high-energy radiation, and the possibility
of a catastrophe in which a large number of people would be exposed to great amounts
of high-energy radiation.
I made a study of the effects of high-energy radiation on human beings
in connection with the question of continuation of the atmospheric testing of nuclear
weapons. The results of my study are presented in my book No More War! (1958), my
Nobel Peace Prize address (1963), and a number of papers published in scientific journals.
It is my opinion that the amount of damage done by the high-energy radiation produced
by the fission products and carbon-14, and the danger of a catastrophe, are both so
great that additional nuclear fission power plants should not be built. I believe
instead that emphasis should be placed on the direct use of solar radiation as the
source of power, on the research and development in the field of nuclear fusion, and
on other alternatives to the nuclear fission power plants.
Operation of nuclear fission power plants produces tremendous amounts
of highly radioactive materials. There is no way of storing these materials, which
will constitute a problem for centuries, such as to assure that a catastrophe will
not at some time occur, through the dissemination of these dangerous materials. There
is the possibility also that an explosion in a nuclear fission power plant would spread
radioactive material over a great area, causing death or injury to hundreds of thousands
or millions of people. The possibility of such a catastrophic incident is indicated
by the very large insurance that is provided by the Government for the nuclear power
plants, also with a limitation on their liability.
I urge that you and your committee investigate carefully the question
of the real dangers associated with nuclear fission power plants. I believe that a
moratorium on the construction of these power plants for at least a decade should
be instituted.
Sincerely,
LP:dm
CC to Senator Lafollette
