The removal of the radioactive mess left behind from Maine Yankee when the nuclear plant was decommissioned was among the goals Ben Rines, Jr., chairman of the Wiscasset Board of Selectmen, named for 2015.

Aside from the potential environmental risks, Selectman Rines is concerned that the nuclear waste site could become a target of terrorists. Such an attack, he warned, would have dire consequences for Wiscasset, the Boothbay region and beyond.  If that scenario were ever to happen one can only imagine what those consequences might be in both health and economic terms.

The Maine Yankee nuclear storage site is thoroughly monitored, staffed round the clock seven days a week. Tens of millions of dollars have been spent to ensure the site’s security and safety. Unfortunately, there’s always the disturbing “what ifs” to contend with. For now, let’s leave those for another day’s discussion.

By statute and contract the Department of Energy should have begun removing spent nuclear fuel and other radioactive wastes from Maine Yankee in 1998. To date, DOE has not removed any, and has no plans to start removing it.

Let’s not start pointing fingers, instead, let’s talk as Mr. Rines has suggested. The problem needs to be addressed by all levels of government, local, regional, state and especially federal. A discussion on the subject, unpleasant as it is, is long overdue.

Just the thought of the Maine Yankee’s spent fuel storage site being a terrorist target is enough to cause nightmares.

Although it’s disturbing to think about, Selectman Rines was correct in bringing the issue up. Let’s hope a meaningful discussion on the subject will soon begin.