16. The First Legal Challenge Against a U.S. Small Nuclear Reactor

16. The First Legal Challenge Against a U.S. Small Nuclear Reactor

Author: Jenn Galler August 22, 2025 Duration: 24:27

Today, we’re talking with Diane Wilson, the Executive Director of the San Antonio Bay Waterkeeper, about a nuclear proposal that’s raising red flags across the Gulf Coast of Texas.

A company called Dow/Union Carbide wants to build a Small Modular Reactor, the Xe-100 near Long Mott, Texas, just miles from the Guadalupe River and San Antonio Bay. It’s a region already grappling with historic flooding, that just inundated communities along the Guadalupe months ago.

Now, the San Antonio Bay Waterkeeper and other advocates are stepping in, filing the first-ever intervention against a Small Modular Reactor in the U.S.

We speak about the significance of this historic moment, what’s at stake for the environment, the community, and the climate, and how the NRC is pushing forward with an unproven design in a flood-prone region.


Contact and connect with Diane: wilsonalamobay@aol.com

Full press release: https://sanantoniobaywaterkeeper.org/local-group-files-first-ever-legal-challenge-to-smr/

NRC filing: https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML2518/ML25188A218.pdf



Hosted by Jenn Galler, In Our Backyard Podcast is the voice of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, bringing urgent local stories to the forefront. This isn't about abstract global debates; it's a grounded conversation focused on the very real industrial pressures facing specific towns and neighborhoods. Each episode examines a particular threat, from active coal plants and fracking operations to the routing of new pipelines, unpacking the complex realities behind the headlines. You'll hear directly from the residents and organizers who are living these fights, sharing their personal struggles and strategies for safeguarding both community health and the local environment. The discussions are detailed and thoughtful, prioritizing the experiences of those on the ground. Tuning into this podcast means connecting with the persistent, often overlooked work of environmental justice, understanding that the most critical battles for planetary protection frequently begin just outside our own doors.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

In Our Backyard Podcast
Podcast Episodes
35. Building a Sustainable South [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:23
Welcome back to the show. Today we’re joined by Laura Iyer, founder of the Southern Sustainability Institute.Laura works with communities, businesses, and local leaders across the South to advance practical sustainabilit…
34. Understanding Energy Policy and Power Costs in Louisiana [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:38
Today we’re joined by Jackson Voss, Senior Government Affairs & Policy Advisor at the Alliance for Affordable Energy. He breaks down how energy systems are shaped, regulated, and experienced by everyday people.In this ep…
33. Rising Roots: Voices of Southwest Georgia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:43
Today I’m joined by Sherrell Byrd who is the Founder and Executive Director at SOWEGA Rising. SOWEGA Rising, an organization doing powerful work to support Southwest Georgia and build a more resilient future. Southwest G…
32. The Data Center Capital: Growth, Land, and Local Consequences [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:22
Today, we’re joined by Julie Bolthouse, Director of Land Use at the Piedmont Environmental Council. With Julie, we talk about the rapid expansion of data centers on the ground and how communities are responding.Virginia…
31. Sustaining East Tennessee: Farms, Food, and the Future [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:49
Today we’re diving into the work happening on the ground in East Tennessee to support farmers, strengthen local food systems, and build healthier, more resilient communities.I’m joined by Andy Brown and Jillian Gorell fr…
30. Ecology Beyond Data: Emotion, Storytelling, and Systems Change [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:09
I’m joined by Bill Powers from Living Well Collaborative with Earth Island Institute, an organization based in Bolivia. Bill is an author, ecologist, and storyteller whose work bridges the personal and the environment in…
29. Building Environmental Literacy for a Changing World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:04
Today’s guest is Judy Braus, Executive Director of the North American Association for Environmental Education or NAAEE for short.NAAEE’s mission is to use the power of education to advance environmental literacy and civi…
27. Why Oysters Matter More Than You Think [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:47
I’m joined by Giulio Salerno from the Wild Oyster Project, an organization working to bring native oyster reefs back to San Francisco Bay and other West Coast estuaries. It’s about repairing ecosystems, building climate…