Shut Down

Illustration of nuclear power plant in white on a blue gradient background.  Red text superimposed over illustration.

The blueprint nuclear power image was taken from the cover of Shut Down: Nuclear Power on Trial: Experts Testify in Federal Court. Published in March of 1979, the book was written by Jeannine Honicker, the plaintiff, in a lawsuit against the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Using federal court transcripts, the story chronicles the demand for all 290 licensed nuclear facilities to shut down until federal regulations were revised. At the time, anti-nuclear concerns grew due to radioactive waste disposal, nuclear accidents, and terrorism. On May 7th, 1979, a march against nuclear power was held in Washington D.C., it was estimated over 70,000 attended, including California Governor Jerry Brown.