A Bright Future (Just Ignore the Waste)

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"The once-moribund nuclear power business is undergoing a revival that is having a profound impact on academia and industry," reports the Chicago Tribune. Existing nuclear engineering programs are expanding, and new programs have been announced at three universities. Supporters claim, "Nuclear energy is the only viable source to produce all the electricity we will need for the future." But the New York Times notes, "the plan to bury nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain ... is years behind schedule and the Energy Department is facing financial penalties" for the delay. Saying leaks at the site are probable, a former member of the Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board warned, "The Department of Energy is rushing ahead with a defective Yucca Mountain design."