The situation in Japan shows clearly that nuclear power is completely clean and safe ... until it isn't, and then it's your worst nightmare.
Minnesota's long-held ban on new nuclear power plants was put in place for a reason, and legislators should reconsider their recent, unintentionally reckless efforts to repeal that ban.
Our state may not have major earthquakes, but human error, computer glitches and terrorist attacks all can accomplish the same thing.
While the chance of any of those is small, it's a game of Russian roulette that is far too risky to play with our state.
ROBERT RAFN, GOLDEN VALLEY
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It was forces of nature that caused the failure of the reactors in Japan -- forces that are, by definition, unpredictable, and it is shortsighted to believe that Minnesota is immune from them.
Instead of looking to an inherently risky and dangerous technology to meet our energy needs, policymakers should focus on investments in energy efficiency -- the most cost-effective investment in our energy future there is -- and in expanding use our abundant wind and solar resources.
