Economic Boom or Environmental Bust? The Perry Nuclear Power Plant
Description
In his 1864 book titled Man and Nature, George Perkins Marsh asserted that great civilizations decline because they adversely affect the environment in which they grow. Once the Silicon Valley of American's industrial period, Northeast Ohio now lies at the center of the so called "Rust Belt" and the region's population has been hemoragging since the 1950s. Is it possible, as George Perkins Marsh suggested, that the abuse of the natural environment is what led to Northeast Ohio's decline? The steel, oil, and chemical plants that were celebrated as the engines of Cleveland's industrial revolution also caused environmental harm as evidenced by the Cuyahoga River fires and brownfield that occupies the former Diamond-Shamrock facility on the Lakefront near Fairport Harbor.
The Perry Nuclear Power Plant rises dramatically on the the North Coast. Once heralded as the answer to the economic problems confronting the rural community that it calls home, it has also been the target of environmental protests and criticisms since plans were first announed in 1971. The economic impact of the plant has resulted in several tangible benefits for the residents of Perry Village, North Perry, and Perry Township. However, critics contend that the environmental impact has tarnished the landscape and increased health risks for the people and animals that live nearby. Will Perry follow the same path of decline as Cleveland, Painesville, and Fairport Harbor? Or will Perry be able to sustain the economic and population growth it has enjoyed since the 1970s.
Credits
Hlousek-Soeder
Sections
Perry before the Plant
Prior to 1970, Perry's economy was centered on agriculture. Like its Lake County neighbors to the east and west, Perry was home to several nurseries. Though profitable, the nursery industry did not generate enough tax revenue to sustain the Perry schools and government services. As a result, the Perry schools closed its doors in 1968 and again in 1974, giving 1,900 students an unexpected "holiday." Meanwhile, the community failed to pass additional school levies. It became apparent to political officials that industry was needed to ease the tax burden of homeowners in Perry.Economic Boom
CEI's announcement in 1971 that North Perry was selected as the site for its new nuclear facility was greeted with optimism by political officials in both Perry and Lake County. In addition to immediately creating 3,000 construction jobs, the plant was expected to generate a huge tax windfall for the Perry schools, while spurring the development of infrastructure projects (i.e. roads, sewers, and water lines). The imposing structure rising on the shores of Lake Erie was an architectural marvel and beacon of hope for the local economy.
Environmental Bust
Although Lake County political leaders heralded CEI's plan to build a nuclear power plant in North Perry as an engine that would fuel economic growth and development, community activists and organizers voiced concerns about the human and environmental impact of the plant. These concerns were heightened in the wake of the Three Mile Island Disaster (1979), Chernobyl (1986), and an earthquake centered in Northeast Ohio (1986).