Posted on 10/31/2001 9:04:44 AM PST by Dane
Flights at Pittsburgh International were grounded this morning after reports that 2 single engine planes violated the airspace around the Shippingport nuclear power plant. Flights have resumed.
Not much of a target since its been decommissioned and dismantled now for years. What a bunch of maroons.
They've grounded flights at Jefferson County Airport in Colorado because it's too close to Rocky Flats, a nuke weapons lab that is undergoing a cleanup. I think the rationale is that a terrorist could start a fire that would release radioactivity from the plutonium still on site.
So they are reacting to that minor threat potential - but last weekend I drove through Los Alamos, and there were no checkpoints on the roads leading to the complex. Crazy.
I guess we will hear more at 2:00 PM.
There is a working nuclear reactor at Shippingport.
NeverGore
What does skin color have to do with this?
Beaver Valley Units 1&2 list Shippingport, PA, as their mailing address and nearest metropolitan area (such as it is). Is this what the article refers to? If so, it should use the correct name of the plant.
The original Shippingport Nuclear Plant was taken out of service and dismantled years ago. But, I guess I shouldn't assume that the press would print accurate information...
Correct. There are 2 operating nuclear plants at that site. Beaver Valley 1&2.
I don't know if I understand the rationale at all for making restricted airspace for 10 miles around and 18,000 feet below every nuke plant. This affects small general aviation only. If someone tried to crash one of these planes into any nuclear containment structure in the country, they'd just sweep it off. I guess the only rationale I can think of is that they want to keep the airspace clear so they can more easily look for a commercial jet off course. I know nothing about air traffic control and don't know if this ban would help.
We have approximately 60 operating nuclear sites around the country, mostly in rural areas. I feel for all the private pilots that are stranded at these small airfields...and there's a lot.
That's a different color of a horse. When a commercial nuclear site is released for unrestricted use, its residual radioactivity is comparable to natural background. Dismantlement generally results in unrestricted release. ENTOMB or SAFSTOR options generally have some minor amounts of activity remaining, but certainly small compared with the initial inventory.
The crash of the heroic Flight 93 probably stirred up about the same amount of radioactivity as would an impact in a nuclear site that has been cleared for unrestricted release.
None you could see, anyway...
If I were running security, I wouldn't want obvious checkpoints that a terrorist "scout team" would spot and either drive around off-road, or switch to a more undefended target.
I'd have troops in place that would spring out and nail the bastards the moment they crossed the point of no return.
Better to kill a dangerous animal than to scare it off and hope you can stop it the next time.
...that 2 single engine planes violated the airspace around the Shippingport nuclear power plant.
It sounded like they used a proper name. I know that Beaver Valley 1&2 are close to the town of Shippingport, but the actual Shippingport plant (proper name) was removed some time ago, as I recall. I think they did complete dismantlement and unrestricted release, but perhaps someone could check on that.
Locals call it Shippingport.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.