“U.S. Sen. Barack Obama is proposing legislation requiring nuclear power companies to inform state and local officials if there is an accidental leak of a radioactive substance.
The Chicago Democrat says relying on the federal government or an image-conscious corporation to disclose the information in a timely manner is insufficient.
Obama says he decided to take action after constituents at a Grundy County town hall meeting expressed anger that potentially dangerous radioactive wastewater had been released into the local groundwater. Residents weren’t told of the mishap until years later. Illinois has 11 nuclear power plants -- the most of any state. Nuclear power provides most of the state’s electricity.
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