TODAY MARKS 40 YEARS SINCE
THE ACCIDENT AT THE THREE MILE
ISLAND NUCLEAR POWER PLANT NEAR
HARRISBURG.
THE PARTIAL MELTDOWN ENDED
UP RELEASING A SMALL AMOUNT OF
RADIATION THAT AFFECTED AREAS
NEARBY.
FOR SEVEN LONG DAYS FEAR SPREAD
MUCH FARTHER.
THE PRIMARY AND OVERRIDING
CONCERN FOR ALL OF US IS THE
HEALTH AND THE SAFETY OF THE
PEOPLE OF THIS ENTIRE AREA.
Reporter: WHAT HAPPENED AT
THREE MILE ISLAND WAS SO
SERIOUS AND SO SCARY THAT THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
CAME TO TRY TO CALM THINGS
DOWN.
A MOVIE THAT HAPPENED TO BE IN
THEATERS AT THE TIME WAS PART
OF THE PROBLEM.
THE CHINA SYNDROME, A FICTIONAL
STORY OF A POWER PLANT ACCIDENT
THAT THREATENS A NUCLEAR
HOLOCAUST.
THE PLOT ALMOST READS ALONG THE
SAME LINES AS THE UPDATES WE
HAVE BEEN GETTING FROM
HARRISBURG ALL DAY AND INTO THE
NIGHT.
AT THREE MILE ISLAND COOLING
PROBLEM LED TO REAL CONCERNS OF
A CORE MELTDOWN.
GOVERNOR THORNBURG ISSUING AN
ADVISORY FOR PREGNANT WOMEN AND
LITTLE KIDS.
TO LEAVE THE AREA WITHIN A
FIVE-MILE RADIUS OF THE THREE
MILE ISLAND FACILITY UNTIL
FURTHER NOTICE.
Reporter: EVACUEES GATHERED
AT AN ARENA IN HERSHEY.
EVEN AS THE CHOCOLATE COMPANY
TEMPORARILY STOPPED USING MILK
FROM LOCAL COWS IN HERSHEY
BARS.
WITH A MASSIVE CORPS OF
REPORTERS ASKING QUESTIONS, IT
SEEMED THERE WERE NO GOOD
ANSWERS.
THERE IS STILL A GREAT DEAL
OF RADIATION COMING OUT OF THAT
REACTOR, IS THERE NOT?
I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S A GREAT
DEAL.
Reporter: LET US TRY TO FIND
THE STRENGTH TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
IS BEING TOLD TO US TODAY.
DEATH IS AS CLOSE AS OUR
NEAREST NUCLEAR REACTOR.
Reporter: AFTER A TENSE WEEK
PLANT OPERATORS ANNOUNCED THEY
HAD THINGS UNDER CONTROL.
EVACUEES BEGAN RETURNING,
TENTATIVELY.
IT WILL TAKE YEARS BEFORE
DOCTORS AND PUBLIC HEALTH
OFFICIALS ARE ABLE TO DETERMINE
WHAT THE PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL
EFFECTS HAVE BEEN.
MORE THAN HALF OF THE PEOPLE
SURVEYED CHANGE THEIR OPINION
ABOUT WHETHER MORE NUCLEAR
POWER PLANTS SHOULD BE
CONSTRUCTED.
WE FEEL IT IS SAFE AND
CLEAN.
WE HOPE THAT IN TIME WE CAN
ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE
BEING ASKED BY THE PUBLIC.
Reporter: UNTIL A LOT OF
QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED THE
FUTURE OF NUCLEAR POWER IS
CLOUDED BY UNCERTAINTY.
AS THE PRICE OF OIL KEEP
SOARING AND FUTURE SHORTAGES
LOOM IT IS CLEAR THAT THE
QUESTIONS ABOUT NUCLEAR ENERGY
NEED TO BE ANSWERED SOON.
SO THE PUBLIC CAN DECIDE
WHETHER WE CAN AFFORD TO LIVE
