Process

As the Environmentalist in your team, you are in charge of comparing the environmental impact of electricity produced by nuclear power, to the environmental impact of electricity produced by burning coal. You will use provided internet links to research the topics, and learn about the effects of both methods on the air,water and soil around the plants, and the possible impact on the health of residents in the area. You will be asked to determine which method of producing electricity is preferred from your point of view, and make a recommendation to your team

As you prepare to present the information to your team, it will be useful to organize your thoughts. You are asked to print and complete an information summary sheet, in which you will list the advantages and disadvantages of Nuclear plants and Coal power plants from the environmentalist's point of view..

As you are doing your research and gather the information, you will answer the following questions.

Nuclear power plants	Internet links
What are the gases that are released to the air? What are the liquids that are released from the plant to the environment? What is thermal pollution? What types of solid wastes are generated in the plant? What is the impact on the biosphere(animals, plants,people) who are in close proximity to the plant? What effect do the processes of mining,milling and tailing of Uranium ore, have on the environment?	Environmental effects of nuclear power http://nuclearinfo.net/ (university of Melbourne,Australia) Uranium,Electricity, and the Greenhouse Effect
What is Low level radioactive waste?How is it disposed? What is intermediate-level radioactive waste,what are its methods of disposal?	Radioactive Waste Management Disposal of Low Level Radioactive Waste
What is high level radioactive waste? How and for how long,is the spent fuel cooled and stored in the plant? How is the waste treated after the "cooling off" period?	What is Nuclear Reactor Waste? Storage of Used Nuclear Fuel
How is nuclear waste transported?	Transportation of Nuclear Fuel (nuclear Energy Institute)
What are the methods for final disposal of nuclear waste? What is the"Yucca Mountain repository"?	Yucca Mountain-Nuclear Waste Repository
What is Reprocessing of Nuclear Fuel?	Recycling Used Nuclear Fuel
A look at a local nuclear power plant-Indian Point	Indian-Point Nuclear power plant (Entergy Nuclear Company site)
Coal-fired Power Plants
Which of the gases, emitted to the air from a Coal fired power plant, contribute to acid rain? Which gas contributes to global warming? Which heavy metals are released to the environment? Which radioactive elements are released? What are the environmental impacts of all the above emissions?	Environmental impacts of Coal power plants
Locate a coal power plant in NJ	National Health impacts of Coal power plants
What is the Clean Air Act? What is the Clean-Air Mercury rule? What methods are used to reduce pollutant gas emission from coal power plants?	The Clean Air Act The Clean-Air Mercury Rule
Nuclear Power Advantage-Comparative approach:	http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Booklets/Development/devnine.html www.theiet.org/fact files/energy/env-dilemma.cfm?type=pdf
Comparison of Nuclear Power and Fossil Fuel to generate electricity-environmental impact	http://wwhw.ieer.org/ensec/no-1/comffnp.html

Print questions

Summary information sheet