Assessing The Boston Area's Nuclear Risk

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BOSTON — As the threat of nuclear disaster in northern Japan continues to unfold, some Massachusetts residents feel a growing sense of concern about the three nuclear power plants surrounding Boston.

One is in-state: the Pilgrim plant in Plymouth. One is just across the border in Seabrook, N.H. The third, Vermont Yankee, is in Vernon, Vt., also just over the border. All three of them have at least a half-dozen Massachusetts communities located within 10 miles.

To learn more about the local potential nuclear risks and the state's emergency response plan, WBUR's All Things Considered host Sacha Pfeiffer spoke with Dr. Ira Helfand, a nuclear expert and former president of Physicians for Social Responsibility, which works to prevent the use or spread of nuclear weapons.