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: 50

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