Looking Back at the Past to Protect the Future: Lessons from Meltdown: Three Mile Island

Temperatures in Waco, Texas hit 108 degrees Fahrenheit this year, shattering the previous record of 104 degrees reached in 1917, 1935 and 1978. This case is not an isolated event; in fact, 92 all-time U.S. record high temperatures were set through July 16th with about 100 million people across more than 24 states under heat alerts. The frequency and magnitude of individuals experiencing dangerous and severe weather indicates what scientists have been warning the public about for decades—severe climate change.

Concerns about rising temperatures have led politicians and the public to support the development of clean energy. In 2021, President Biden signed the Federal Sustainability Plan, aiming to bring down 65% of emissions from federal operations by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2050. To achieve this goal, some politicians want to give nuclear energy a second chance with new legislation and programs attempting to rebuild the industry. In the Senate last month, both Republican and Democratic members introduced the American Nuclear Infrastructure Act to “improve the nation’s nuclear infrastructure, secure America’s uranium supply chain, grow the economy, create jobs, reduce carbon emissions, and strengthen our energy and national security.” President Biden also launched a $6 billion program to save nuclear plants that are vulnerable due to rising security costs and competition from other energy sources. The public seems to agree with their representatives; in a 2022 Pew Research poll, more Americans (35%) believed that the federal government should encourage rather than discourage (26%) nuclear power. Therefore, it is clear that nuclear energy will likely become a more present energy source in the future.

Though nuclear power has its advantages, acknowledging and learning from its history is essential to avoid the real safety risks they can pose if mismanaged. The once rapidly growing industry in the 1960s and 1970s was halted due to a lack of public confidence following catastrophes like Three Mile Island (TMI) and Chernobyl. Moreover, recent accidents like the Fukushima plant explosion have led to a degree of continued public hesitancy. The plants were never able to recover; since the 1980s, 93 facilities have provided approximately 19% of the country’s electricity, with only two new plant(s) built within the last 20 years among several closures, with more retirements pending.

The recent four-part documentary on Netflix, Meltdown: Three Mile Island, recounts the potential catastrophe at the Pennsylvania nuclear power plant. Throughout the program, first-hand witnesses reveal the corruption and negligence that led up to the near tragedy at the functioning plant, as well as the critical role of whistleblowers in protecting the public from an even worse disaster during its clean-up.

To learn about the impact, as well as the difficult decision process and retaliation frequently experienced by whistleblowers, check out the Whistleblower Summit and Film Festival from July 25th to the 31st. On Friday, July 29th at 11:00 am Eastern there will be a free screening in Washington, DC on Capitol Hill of the third episode of the Meltdown docuseries. This episode centers around the experience of Rick Parks, the chief engineer at the TMI plant, and his attorneys at Government Accountability Project who helped him report negligence surrounding safety risks posed by the plant clean-up operation. The program shows dramatic reenactments, archival footage, novel home video, and in-depth interviews highlighting the power of whistleblowers in exposing corruption and protecting the public, and will be introduced by Government Accountability Project founder and CEO Louis Clark.

On Sunday, July 31 at 12:00 pm EDT, there is a panel discussing Meltdown, current concerns about nuclear safety in an age of climate change, and ongoing efforts to strengthen legal protections for whistleblowers. Panelists include the film’s Executive Producers Carla and Michael Shamberg (producers of the Emmy-nominated film Erin Brockovich), along with TMI whistleblower Rick Parks, Government Accountability Project Legal Director Tom Devine, and Senator Tammy Duckworth’s Legislative Director Benjamin Rhodeside.

The takeaways from these events are deeply relevant for the nuclear industry today and its growth in the future. After understanding how Rick Parks and more recent whistleblowers have protected the public from catastrophe, it is clear that strong whistleblower protections must be a priority. Currently, there are many whistleblower cases that expose systemic problems that jeopardize public safety in the nuclear field. Lawrence Criscione and Jeff Mitman, who are also Government Accountability Project clients, are currently concerned with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) negligence of adequate preparation to prevent nuclear disasters in case of severe flooding conditions. Criscione and Mitman raised their worries about potential breaches of dams—more likely because of increasing severe weather events with heavy precipitation caused by climate change—which protect nearby water from flooding the plants. Ignoring these risks can lead to a Fukushima-like nuclear power plant explosion where the Japanese plant was flooded by a tsunami, yet like Rick Parks, Criscione and Mitman have suffered retaliation for raising the alarm.

However, problems disclosed by nuclear whistleblowers are not only related to profound public health, safety, and environmental dangers. The nuclear legacy is closely tied to environmental racism, with many U.S. uranium mines and nuclear power plants located near Native American reservations and other minority communities. Thus, accidents at a nuclear-related facility, which can lead to anything from a plant explosion to water contamination, will most intimately impact communities of color who will face consequences such as fatal health conditions and abandonment of possessions and property. Whistleblowers are therefore vital to protecting people of color who are disproportionately exposed to dangerous conditions due to neglected safety risks by companies and regulators. Corporate and government accountability concerns are further implicated by the issues explored in Meltdown, such as why private companies operating these facilities are motivated to dismiss or even hide safety risks to save costs or earn bonuses, or why regulatory agencies populated with former industry leaders fail to conduct meaningful oversight. Systemic forces that encourage safety short-cuts, negligence, and retaliation toward whistleblowers signal a need for stronger accountability of an industry that poses enormous risks.

Meltdown and the conversations at the Summit are therefore not only for those with an interest in the nuclear industry. As climate change urges the world to switch to cleaner sources of energy, like nuclear power, it is essential that individuals are fully informed about the shortcomings and systemic problems that have defined the industry. Additionally, the importance of whistleblowers as powerful agents to protect the public—too often at great professional and personal cost—extends far beyond nuclear engineers. Whistleblowers reveal overarching institutional problems that implicate almost every issue of societal concern.

It is not enough to acknowledge the significance of whistleblowers, but to support them through action. As many whistleblowers admit, they do not report wrongdoing to become a hero, but instead, because they know it’s the right thing to do. Unfortunately, they often suffer punishment rather than praise, which can also deter other employees from speaking out. It is thus essential to support and encourage whistleblowing by advocating for stronger legal whistleblower protections because when they are protected, so are we.

Currently, there are many gaps in legislation that leave employees who report abuses vulnerable. You can Take Action to help ensure whistleblowers have protections by signing Government Accountability Project’s petition calling on Congress and the Biden administration to pass needed legislative reforms that will strengthen legal protections for whistleblowers—individuals can sign here and organizations can sign here. Other ways you can make a difference include:

  • hosting an educational streaming of or discussion about Meltdown with your friends, colleagues, or in your community;
  • staying informed of legislative and other updates about whistleblowing by signing up for our newsletter here;
  • sharing free resources about whistleblowers with those who might need them;
  • donating to support Government Accountability Project’s work protecting whistleblowers like Rick Parks, Larry Criscione, and so many other employees whose professional integrity protects all of us.

Register for the Whistleblower Summit and Film Festival here (many panels are virtual and free), and learn more about Government Accountability Project’s work related to Meltdown: Three Mile Island here.