Mojave Desert – Shouting anti-solar rhetoric and holding carcasses of displaced wildlife, thousands of demonstrators gathered in front of the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility in the largest display of public anger towards the dangers of solar energy the state of California has ever seen.
The crowd, comprised mostly of former submarine nuclear electronics technicians and machinist mates, sought to convince the government of the dangers of solar energy before it is too late.
“Not in my backyard! I don’t want my kids growing up near this much solar radiation,” said Thomas Monroe, a San Bernardino County resident who once entered the Reactor Compartment 15 minutes after shutdown while serving onboard the USS Denver.
The average individual receives approximately 600 mrem of radiation per year from various sources, including sunlight, Monroe went on to explain.
“That’s more than five times as much radiation as my division officer received,” Monroe stated. “Sure, he never stood watch in the engine room, or came back aft to review paperwork, but he still slept 70 feet from the reactor.”
The solar plant protestors were met with some resistance. A group of 200 anti anti-solar protestors arrived shortly after the former nuclear operators.
“I had just finished up my ninth chest x-ray this year when I heard about the solar protest. I jumped on a cross country flight to come out here and tell these nukes [navy nuclear operators] how stupid they are,” said Greg Lopez seconds before lighting his third cigarette of the interview.