The Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant: Nuclear Racism or Business as Usual?

Location

CSU Ballroom

Start Date

27-4-2009 10:00 AM

End Date

27-4-2009 12:00 PM

Student's Major

Anthropology

Student's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Mentor's Name

Ronald Schirmer

Mentor's Department

Anthropology

Mentor's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Description

The Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant (PINGP) is the only nuclear power plant in the nation adjacent to a Native American reservation. The history of the power plant up to the present has been fraught with controversy, particularly between Xcel Energy (formerly NSP) and the Prairie Island Indian Community (PIIC). Historical and cultural factors complicate the relationship between the PIIC and Xcel and have led to allegations of racism. This study compared the PINGP to five other power plants in the United States with nearby populations and geographic features similar to the PINGP. The relationship of the power plant to nearby communities was assessed by reviewing public comments to CON and EIS applications, notices of intent, newspaper articles, and lawsuits and by comparing the size of exclusion zones surrounding the power plants. The null hypothesis was that there is no significant difference between the PINGP and power plants adjacent to non-native commimities. Differences were measured by size of the exclusion zone, the degree to which the communities are kept informed about the power plant, concerns expressed by the community about the presence of the power plant, and how these concerns are expressed.

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS
 
Apr 27th, 10:00 AM Apr 27th, 12:00 PM

The Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant: Nuclear Racism or Business as Usual?

CSU Ballroom

The Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant (PINGP) is the only nuclear power plant in the nation adjacent to a Native American reservation. The history of the power plant up to the present has been fraught with controversy, particularly between Xcel Energy (formerly NSP) and the Prairie Island Indian Community (PIIC). Historical and cultural factors complicate the relationship between the PIIC and Xcel and have led to allegations of racism. This study compared the PINGP to five other power plants in the United States with nearby populations and geographic features similar to the PINGP. The relationship of the power plant to nearby communities was assessed by reviewing public comments to CON and EIS applications, notices of intent, newspaper articles, and lawsuits and by comparing the size of exclusion zones surrounding the power plants. The null hypothesis was that there is no significant difference between the PINGP and power plants adjacent to non-native commimities. Differences were measured by size of the exclusion zone, the degree to which the communities are kept informed about the power plant, concerns expressed by the community about the presence of the power plant, and how these concerns are expressed.

Recommended Citation

Lorentz, Melissa. "The Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant: Nuclear Racism or Business as Usual?." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 27, 2009.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2009/poster-session-A/1