U. S. Nuclear Lobbying Leading to a Possible Catastrophe29 May

The U.S. government has failed to learn that industry regulation is absolutely essential to insure safety and stability in large-scale industries that affect the entire nation. The absence of regulation led to the catastrophic financial turmoil in 2008 and the horrific environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico during 2010. The United States is ill prepared to confront yet another disaster, this time a nuclear power plant calamity. Nuclear lobbying influence has stifled the imposition of regulation that might prevent a Japanese Fukushima style meltdown that occurred in 2011. The following statements show that Japan can learn from its mistakes, while the United States has failed so far in that regard.

Japanese Prime Minister during Fukushima Disaster – Lessons Learned

“In an unusually stark warning, Japan’s prime minister during last year’s nuclear crisis told a parliamentary inquiry Monday that the country should discard nuclear power as too dangerous, saying the Fukushima accident had pushed Japan to the brink of ‘national collapse.’ ” May 28, 2012

U.S. Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) – Lessons Learned: None

“I am confident that the need for new nuclear power plants will emerge beyond 2020 because the long-term fundamentals for nuclear energy remain sound,” said William Johnson, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Progress Energy. Johnson also serves as NEI chairman. May 23, 2012

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) – Lessons Learned: None

“The NRC has never rejected a license renewal application of a nuclear plant. It has previously renewed the licenses of 72 of the nation’s 104 commercial nuclear reactors…” From 1991 to present time

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About Dr. Everson

Prior to forming this autonomous vehicle consultant practice, Dr. Jeffrey Everson was director of business development for QinetiQ North America’s Technology Solutions Group (previously Foster-Miller, Inc.).

Dr. Everson has been the principal investigator for collision warning systems for automobiles and inner-city transit buses. These programs were awarded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). For his work on developing a collision warning system for inner-city transit buses, Everson was the first U.S. Department of Transportation contractor to win an SBIR Tibbetts Award.

Previously Dr. Everson held senior scientist positions at Battelle Memorial Institute, The Analytic Sciences Corporation (TASC), Honeywell Electro Optics Systems Division, and Itek Optical Systems Division.

He holds a PhD in physics from Boston College and a MS/BS in physics from Northeastern University.

Contact

For more information about how JHEverson Consulting can help your company with autonomous vehicles, please contact Jeff Everson.

JHEverson Consulting is based in the Boston area but consults for clients throughout North America.