Easy to say, we can't do that. Nah, nah.
But coal is present day harmful- it damages lungs and hearts, and it causes atmospheric warming. These things are certain. Natural gas is suposedly plentiful but apparently there are grave questions about ground water pollution from frac-ing these horizonatal wells in shale formations, and we really do not know how long the reserves will last anyway. These wells have very rapid depletion profiles.
Also, NG may be only half as potent as coal wrt atmospheric warming, but it nevertheless does contribute and we already are at what appear to be risky levels of carbon. We need power, our current solution-fossil fuels- have many known important health and environmental hazards, plus they are running low. Wind and solar will help, but likely will never and certainly will not anytime soon shoulder the base load role, so get smart and bring on the nukes. We can give any county that accepts waste disposal tax abatements, or even special refundable tax credits to residents. People would live in Hell for a little more money.
Avoiding nuclear is likely just another example of driving somewhere instead of flying, because "flying is too dangerous". What these things are is dramatic, and thus emotionally compelling. The French seem to be able to deal with the nuclear question, why can't we?
Anyway, we have had a lot of nuclear plants operating with no problems for many years. Every year the technology gets better, in part because the French are not so irrational as we. Even Three Mile Island was a dud as far as natural disasters are concerned.
Ha