[Y-bar]

I’m not the person you responded to, but have an honest question here since we are specifically talking about NIMBYism: How much less of NIMBY is there against coal power plants? For example are there examples of people rejecting NPP in their vicinity while accepting CPP?

[organsnyder]

The worse impacts of coal plants disproportionately impact disadvantaged communities that don't have the resources to be effective NIMBYs.

Coal also has a much wider low-level impact: for instance, it's not safe to consume more than small amounts of fish from the great lakes because of mercury levels, largely due to coal power plants.

[wickedsight]

Germany has been closing tons of nuclear power plants because of protests. They've recently also moved an entire town and a highway to make space for digging up more coal.

I'm not really answering your question, but it does seem like nuclear NIMBYs are more effective than other ones.

[roenxi]

They get a fairer run than nuclear - it is conceivable that a coal plant gets built and is allowed to run. However I imagine the US followed the same broad trends as everyone else in the 90s and started restricting infrastructure construction for environmental reasons so it is probably quite challenging to get a plant built.

There is a reason all the growth is happening in Asia. Their focus is on improving their wealth and material standard of living.

[elil17]

How is that a valid comparison though? Fighting against a coal plant makes sense, fighting against a nuclear plant doesn't - that's the key difference.

[Y-bar]

The context of the discussion is Not In My Backyard-protests and blocking of plants. Are the people protesting one in their “backyard” not protesting the other?