Bill, I think you have hit on it. Nuclear energy is feared because it could lead to more human growth. Environmentalists who liken mankind to a cancer on the planet cannot abide a source of convenient low cost energy. They use radiation fear as a weapon to further this aim.
Bingo! We have a WINNER!
The key to the next stage of human progress is putting 10X and then 100X the power (energy) in every human's hands as we have today: Everyone travels everywhere at will, housing is completely changed, etc. Environmentalists FEAR this progress.