Nuclear Campus Coming to Tooele County

Have you seen this misleading banana ad?

Here is a more accurate description:

First: Definition of a mcrosievert - A microsievert (μSv) is a tiny unit used to measure a dose of ionizing radiation absorbed by the human body. Specifically, it is equal to one-millionth of a sievert (0.000001 Sv). Because a full sievert is a very large amount of radiation, scientists and safety equipment use microsieverts to talk about every day, low levels of radiation.

Normal background radiation: People generally absorb about 0.05 to 0.2 μSv per hour of natural radiation in daily life.
The average annual natural background radiation dose for a human is about 2,400 to 3,000 μSv per year [from earth (air and space)]. Equivalent to 24,000 to 30,000 bananas per year.
- Chest X-ray: A single medical X-ray gives a dose of about 100 μSv. Equivalent to 1,000 bananas
- Mammogram: A routine screening mammogram delivers approximately 400 µSv. Equivalent to 4,000 bananas
- Cross-country flight from Los Angeles to New York City gives a dose of 350 to 400 µSv. Equivalent to 3,500 - 4,000 bananas
Safe public limits: Rules say the public should not get more than 1,000 μSv of extra man-made radiation in one year. This excludes natural background radiation (such as cosmic rays or radon) and medical procedures like X-rays or CT scans.

SOURCE: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). [1, 2]

Now back to the banana statement:

The claim that “a banana contains or releases more radiation than a nuclear reactor” is false and certainly misleading.

Bananas contain a minute amount of naturally occurring potassium-40. Eating one banana results in an estimated dose of approximately 0.1 microsievert; an extremely small dose that presents no meaningful health risk. Potassium is also an essential nutrient, and the body regulates it so that potassium-40 from food does not continually accumulate.

A nuclear reactor is entirely different. An operating reactor contains an enormous inventory of radioactive material and produces extremely intense neutron and gamma-radiation fields. These radiation fields would be lethal without extensive shielding. Public exposure during normal operation is usually very low because the reactor is surrounded by water, steel, thick concrete, containment structures, controlled-access areas, and continuous monitoring; not because the reactor produces less radiation than a banana.

The banana comparison measures the tiny amount of reactor-related radiation that may reach a person outside a properly functioning and well-shielded facility. It does not compare the banana with the reactor itself. In other words, it compares radiation from eating a banana with the small fraction of radiation that escapes the plant’s multiple protective barriers.

Saying that a banana “releases more radiation than a nuclear reactor” is like saying that a cup of coffee/tea produces more heat than an industrial furnace because a person can feel the cups warmth while standing safely outside the insulated furnace. The conclusion ignores the protective structure separating the person from the much larger hazard.

Bananas are safe to eat, and off-site radiation exposure from a properly operating nuclear plant is generally very low. Both statements are scientifically accurate. However, neither supports the claim that a banana contains, produces, or releases more radiation than a nuclear reactor.

Note: The “banana equivalent dose” is an informal communication tool. It should not be interpreted as meaning that ingesting potassium-40 has the same biological behavior, exposure pathway, or health implications as radiation from X-rays, cosmic rays, or nuclear facilities.

DATA CENTERS (Nuclear Reactor) - The public health implications span five major categories:

1. Air Quality and Respiratory Benefits

The most substantial positive health outcome of nuclear-powered data infrastructure is the mitigation of air pollution. [1]

Reduction in Chronic Illnesses: Traditional data centers heavily rely on fossil-fuel grids, emitting fine particulate matter (PM 2.5), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulfur dioxide (SO₂). Switching to nuclear power drastically reduces regional rates of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cardiovascular events caused by dirty energy grids. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Diesel Backup Risks Persist: Despite using nuclear energy for primary operations, data centers still require massive on-site diesel generators for emergency backup. Periodic testing of these generators continues to release localized (PM 2.5) and carcinogenic emissions into adjacent neighborhoods. [1, 2, 3]

2. Thermal Pollution and "Data Heat Islands"

Both nuclear reactors and hyperscale data centers require astronomical amounts of cooling. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Amplified Heat Stress: Data centers expel massive amounts of waste heat into the environment, contributing to localized "data heat islands" that can raise local temperatures. When combined with regional climate trends, this exacerbates heat-related cardiovascular strains and increases emergency room visits during heatwaves. [1, 2]
Aquatic Ecosystem and Water Quality Risks: Nuclear facilities and data centers often draw heavily from local water bodies for cooling. Discharging superheated water back into rivers or lakes can trigger harmful algal blooms, which threaten local drinking water supplies and introduce toxic cyanobacteria risks to public health. [1, 2, 3]

3. Acoustic and Environmental Stressors

The physical presence of server farms introduces ambient health disruptors to nearby populations. [1, 2]

Continuous Noise Pollution: Industrial cooling fans and chillers run 24/7 to prevent server meltdowns. Continuous low-frequency noise is documented to elevate human cortisol (stress) levels, cause severe sleep disturbances, and increase long-term risks of hypertension. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Circadian Rhythm Disruption: Hyperscale facilities require extensive all-night safety and security lighting. This localized light pollution suppresses melatonin production in nearby residents, compounding insomnia and immune system vulnerability. [1]

4. Radiological Safety and Waste Management

While modern commercial reactors have exceptional safety records, scaling nuclear power specifically to meet the tech sector's AI demand introduces systemic concerns: [1, 2, 3]

Perceived Risk and Mental Health: Living near co-located nuclear-data complexes can elevate community anxiety regarding radiological accidents, security threats, or localized radioactive waste storage. Chronic psychological stress acts as a direct driver of adverse long-term health outcomes. [1, 2]
Long-Term Waste Legacies: Accelerating nuclear energy production creates a higher volume of spent nuclear fuel. Without centralized permanent repositories, waste is stored on-site in dry casks, creating prolonged political and environmental health anxieties for surrounding municipalities. [1]

5. Socioeconomic Determinants of Health

The massive energy consumption of data centers can strain regional economies, indirectly impacting health vectors. [1, 2]

Grid Displacement and Utility Costs: If data centers monopolize local nuclear capacity, regular citizens may be shifted to more expensive or dirtier backup energy sources. Surging utility bills can force low-income households to experience "energy poverty," forcing a trade-off between home temperature control, medical care, and proper nutrition. [1, 2, 3]

The health implications regarding radiation, waste management, and logistics encompass several critical areas:

1. Radiation Exposure: Routine vs. Accidental Risks

Under normal operating conditions, commercial reactors do not expose data center workers or neighboring communities to dangerous radiation levels. However, long-term health trends and tail-end accident risks require consideration: [1, 2, 3]

Low-Dose Chronic Exposure: Under normal conditions, shielding keeps external environmental radiation well below hazardous thresholds. Yet, historical epidemiological data remains intensely debated. For instance, a 2026 study published in Nature Communications by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health identified higher rates of cancer mortality in U.S. counties located closer to operational nuclear plants. While this does not prove a direct causal link, and may be influenced by lifestyle or chronic community stress, it underscores the importance of rigorous, ongoing health monitoring. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]-
Severe Accident Scenarios: If a containment breach occurs, the release of volatile radionuclides like Iodine-131 and Cesium-137 poses extreme acute and chronic threats. Iodine-131 concentrates in the thyroid gland via inhalation or contaminated local food supplies, significantly increasing thyroid cancer risks, especially in young children. High-dose, acute exposure causes Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS), characterized by bone marrow failure and gastrointestinal damage. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

2. High-Density Local Waste Accumulation

Because the United States lacks a permanent, deep geological repository for spent nuclear fuel (following the cancellation of the Yucca Mountain project), radioactive waste must be managed on-site. [1, 2]

Prolonged On-Site Storage: Spent fuel rods must spend several years cooling in heavily shielded water pools before being transferred to concrete-and-steel dry casks. Co-locating data centers at these sites means highly radioactive waste will sit indefinitely in proximity to high-density industrial facilities. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

The SMR Waste Disadvantage: To achieve flexible deployment, tech companies are heavily backing Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). However, research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) indicates that SMRs can produce 2 to 30 times more radioactive waste per unit of electricity than traditional large-scale reactors due to neutron leakage and fuel design. This means a network of SMR-driven data centers will generate a higher volume of corrosive, chemically complex waste streams to manage locally. [1, 2, 3]

3. Transportation and Logistics Risks

Sustaining a fleet of tech-focused reactors requires an active logistics pipeline for transporting nuclear fuel and hazardous materials.

Front-End Uranium Mining Hazards: Powering these facilities requires a surge in uranium mining and enrichment. Runoff from poorly managed mining operations can leach heavy metals and alpha-emitting radionuclides (like Uranium-238) into regional groundwater tables. Ingesting or inhaling alpha particles cause direct cellular and DNA damage, heavily compounding lung cancer and kidney disease risks in mining regions.-

Back-End Transit Incidents: Moving spent fuel from regional data center reactors to future consolidated interim storage sites introduces transportation risks. While transport casks are engineered to withstand extreme crashes and fires, a high-impact transit accident in a densely populated shipping corridor could cause a localized radiological release, presenting immediate inhalation hazards to emergency responders and local residents. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Requesting a comprehensive Public Health Assessment (PHA) before construction begins is one of the most effective ways to protect your community.

Conducting this assessment proactively, rather than reacting to health issues after the facilities are built, provides several critical benefits:

1. Establishes a Health Baseline

Tracking Changes: A PHA documents the community’s existing rates of asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and stress before any ground is broken.

Definitive Proof: Without a baseline, it is incredibly difficult to prove in the future whether a data center or reactor caused a spike in local illnesses

2. Evaluates Cumulative and Combined Risks

The "Cocktail" Effect: Standard environmental impact statements often look at the reactor and the data center as separate entities. A PHA looks at the total, combined impact on a human being.

Total Exposure: It calculates how 24/7 low-frequency noise from data center fans, diesel backup emissions, potential water contamination, and radiological risks intersect to impact human biology.

3. Drives Safer Engineering and Design

Forcing Adjustments: If the assessment shows a high risk of localized heat islands or noise pollution near a residential area, the tech company can be legally or contractually forced to change its plans.

Better Technology: This can include requiring heavier acoustic shielding for cooling fans, moving emergency diesel generators further away from schools, or opting for dry-cooling technology to protect local water bodies.

4. Empowers the Community and Enhances Oversight

Transparency: A PHA requires public comment periods, giving residents access to hard data regarding what will be released into their air and water.

Accountability: It creates a legally reviewable framework that local governments can use to establish strict zoning laws, continuous radiation monitoring systems, and emergency evacuation protocols.

5. Evacuation Plan

An emergency evacuation plan is absolutely vital when combining nuclear reactors with data centers, as the infrastructure collision between hyperscale tech and nuclear energy introduces unprecedented challenges to emergency management.

Emergency Planning Zones (EPZs) - EPZ Sizing: "Is the tech developer applying for a regulatory exemption to shrink the EPZ to the facility's fence line, and if so, how will the county ensure residents just outside that fence are warned and protected?"

Notification Systems: "How will the 24/7 continuous low-frequency noise from the data center's cooling fans affect the audibility of local emergency sirens, and what alternative, fail-safe warning systems will be installed in our homes?"

So much for the banana statement!

One more item:

Here is an Article from:

Front. Clim., 05 February 2026

Sec. Climate and Health

Volume 8 - 2026 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fclim.2026.1648912

'Health implications of the rapid rise of data centers in Virginia: an exploratory assessment'

Significant findings: Burdens generally may fall disproportionately on children, older adults, low-income households, rural populations, and historically marginalized communities.

The authors clearly acknowledge that this is a conceptual review, not a direct epidemiological study. The article identifies scientifically plausible exposure pathways, but it does not measure disease rates, calculate population-level health burdens, or demonstrate that particular illnesses were directly caused by data centers. However, the authors do recommend renewable energy, restrictions on water consumption, cleaner cooling systems, stronger noise and zoning standards, responsible site selection, equitable utility-rate structures, community benefit agreements, transparent public participation, and better environmental monitoring.

Their most significant recommendation is the need for interdisciplinary epidemiological research that directly measures data-center emissions, community exposures, and health outcomes (a scientific public health assessment).

Overall assessment: The article provides a strong public health framework showing that data center development should not be evaluated solely in terms of economic growth and electricity availability. It identifies credible and potentially serious health pathways, while appropriately recognizing that direct data-center-specific health evidence is still limited.

Reference

Gour, N., Ortiz, L., & Maibach, E. (2026). Health implications of the rapid rise of data centers in Virginia: An exploratory assessment. Frontiers in Climate, 8, Article 1648912. https://doi.org/10.3389/fclim.2026.1648912

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