My first foray into the nuclear industry happened this year in the thriving metropolis of Vernon, VT. It was a very eye opening experience and the actual site was like a snapshot from the 1970’s. Because reliability is a huge issue in the nuclear industry, nothing is changed unless its absolutely proven hence the dated technology in use at the plant. The part I feared most about the job were the stories I heard about the endless streams of paperwork, incredibly slow pace, and religious fervor towards following procedures which everyone knows just isn’t me! It turns out that many of my co-workers were more frustrated than me and the worst part of the job for me was the 12 hour days with 2 hour commute because it was still winter and the closest campsite was two hours away in Springfield.
Another surprise was the basic philosophy toward the nuclear aspect of the plant itself which is radiation avoidance instead of radiation protection. I expected a large part of the building to be made of lead and maybe some lead suits. But it was explained that if the actual unit were made of lead, the building would collapse around itself and lead paint was a larger hazard than the actual radiation.
I had preconceptions of Vermont where the cities and countryside would be littered with beautifully restored farmhouses populated by wasps and the like. The real Vermont is quite poor with an interesting mix of hippies, rebels, and students. The town of Brattleboro had more bookstores per capita than I’ve ever seen and has quite the anti-big-corporate atmosphere. Not than any real size building could be built on the maze of extremely narrow roadways which seem to be the original cattle pathways with a thin layer of cement.
The entire state has huge NIMBY (Not in my backyard) issues and some of the weirdest laws I’ve ever heard of. My Favorite story involves Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart wanted to build a store in Brattleboro but the protestors won the battle and blocked the construction…in Brattleboro. Wal-Mart was forced to build its new store 4 blocks outside Brattleboro in nearby New Hampshire where every from Brattleboro seems to shop…with no sales tax. What a stunning victory for the little guy. (sarcasm).
Because of the 6-14 hour workdays and the birth of a kidney stone, I wasn’t able to do much hiking and here is a couple of shots of a typical town (Actually in New Hamshire, I think).
