Clamshell Alliance Protests Pro-Nuclear Gathering of Northeastern Governors in Massachusetts
The Clamshell Alliance, an anti-nuclear group, recently protested a pro-nuclear gathering of northeastern governors at UMass Lowell in Massachusetts. The protest, which included about three dozen anti-nuclear and pro-democracy activists from New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts, aimed to voice opposition to the promotion of next-generation nuclear power in the Northeast. The governors had been invited to attend a conference advocating for nuclear energy, though none of the governors, including Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, ultimately attended, sending aides instead. This event echoes past anti-nuclear movements from the 1970s and 80s, which focused on stopping the construction of the Seabrook nuclear plant and decommissioning the Vermont Yankee reactor. The protest highlighted concerns about nuclear safety, waste disposal, and the economic viability of nuclear power, particularly in light of recent studies linking proximity to nuclear reactors with increased cancer fatalities.
