Three+Mile+Island

= THREE MILE ISLAND = Three Mile Island was an accident in a nuclear plant on a small island near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. At about 4am on March 28, 1979 the core reactor began to over heat causing dangerous radiation to slowly be released into the environment. This didn't cause any immediate deaths or diseases but after some time there were reports if an increase in cancer and retardation. A few days after the accident president Jimmy Carter came to see how dangerous the situation was and what had to be done. He then advised pregnant women and children to leave the area.

Three Mile Island caused the people of america to question the dangers and benefits of nuclear energy. Many people who opposed the use of nuclear energy protested hoping to see the end of it in America. Three Mile Island tested the safety, preparedness, and strength of the nuclear power industry. In efforts to make sure there would be no future nuclear accidents the government made improvements to nuclear power plants. They focused on making safety systems and emergency planning stronger as well as having better training for the workers.



During the accident large amount or radioactive water poured from the reactor. This harmful water was dumped gallon by gallon into the Susquehanna River. It wasn't until August 1993 that all the water was removed from the reactor. The damaged material inside the reactor is so dangerous that it still can not be dealt with until 2014 at the earliest. The US is still working towards cleaning up the long term effects of Three Mile Island and finding alternative energy sources and reducing the use of nuclear energy. Three MIle Island has had lasting effects on the minds of America. Although the accident was a tragedy it benefited the way American thinks because we now focus strongly on safety and protecting the environment. 

Other Uses of Nuclear Energy: Enola Gay Development of the Atomic Bomb

RESOURCES: http://www.americanhistory.abcclio.com/Search/Display.aspxcategoryid=21&searchtext=the+mile+island&type=simple&option=all&entryid=295128&issublink=true&fromsearch=false http://content.answers.com/main/content/img/getty/2/1/3091621.jpg http://www.americanhistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display.aspxcategoryid=21&entryid=252806&searchtext=the+mile+island&type=simple&option=all http://www.worldbookonline.com/student/article?id=ar752885&st=three+mile+island http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf41_US_nuclear_power_policy.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/images/3mile/3mile1.jpg

~Mary Siltman~