Colorado has played a pivotal role in the history of nuclear research and technology.
Being the first state to produce uranium and later having a near monopoly on the global radium trade, the Centennial state’s complex relationship with nuclear materials highlights both its contributions to the field and the resulting controversies. Despite Colorado’s significant impact on the U.S. nuclear industry, early mining and weapons manufacturing practices have left a legacy of skepticism toward the use of nuclear energy in the modern age.
Colorado’s nuclear history reflects a dual narrative of groundbreaking contributions and enduring controversies. While the early ages of domestic uranium mining and nuclear weapons production advanced national interests, they left environmental damage and public health challenges behind.
Colorado’s cultural and political stance on nuclear energy has been significantly influenced by events at sites unrelated to nuclear energy production, such as Uravan and Rocky Flats. Moving forward, acknowledging these historical concerns while utilizing modern computational technologies could offer a path to a cleaner, more reliable state energy future.
Click here to read the full issue paper A Critical Look at Nuclear Energy in Colorado: Overcoming Our Past to Secure Our Future by Nathan Stout with Amy Oliver Cooke.
