Some rethinking nuke opposition

Some environmentalists aren't buying. "We remain steadfastly opposed to nuclear power," Sierra Club spokesman Josh Dorner said. "We're not willing to believe they are as safe as the industry is willing to portray them."

The Sierra Club says it has not wavered in its stand against nuclear power. Greenpeace USA also says it finds nuclear power unacceptable.

Both organizations cite the unresolved debate over long-term storage of radioactive wastes and economic viability because of huge construction costs. They also worry about the possibility of spent fuel getting into the wrong hands and being used for weapons.

"I think there are a lot better carbon-free alternatives for producing electricity," says Christopher Flavin, president of Worldwatch Institute, an environmental research group.