The League Against Nuclear Dangers (LAND) was formed in May 1973 to fight a proposal from Wisconsin utility companies to construct a nuclear power plant in Rudolph, Wis., a small town located between Stevens Point and Wisconsin Rapids. The founders, mostly homemakers who had never been involved in any activist organizations previously, were concerned about the health dangers a nuclear plant could bring to their community.
When the plant was first proposed, the utilities sent representatives and distributed literature declaring that the plant would pose no safety risks. Concerned Rudolph area residents thought there was a different side to the story, so they joined together to form LAND. The organization's first goal was to stimulate discussion on nuclear power issues and to provide scientific information to area citizens in a format understandable to laypeople. They began by reading all they could get their hands on and started a library of periodicals, newspapers, newsletters, agency hearing reports, and other items. They also pressured the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) to give them easier access to AEC-generated material. As a result, the AEC sent copies of many of the publications and other near-print items to the government documents collection at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
Once core members of LAND felt relatively comfortable with their knowledge of nuclear energy issues, they disseminated the information to the community. They reprinted many articles for local distribution, published a newsletter describing the group's activities and explaining scientific findings on nuclear energy, put out an ad featuring a picture of the 30-mile “Impact area” of the proposed plant, sent out press releases, and wrote and distributed quizzes about atomic energy. They also released hundreds of helium balloons from the proposed plant site with notes attached stating that radioactive substances could travel as far as the balloon. When University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point faculty member George Dixon unearthed money which the university had allocated for speakers, LAND convinced the school to sponsor at least ten lectures by people from all over the country, many of them scientists. LAND was able to develop nation-wide contacts through this lecture series.
In 1974, LAND established a non-profit, tax-deductible education and research arm, LAND Educational Associates Foundation, Inc. (LEAF). Thereafter, most printed literature from the organization sported the LAND-LEAF imprint although the organization continued to call itself LAND.
There was a small group of LAND members who became extremely knowledgeable about nuclear energy and several members who treated their volunteer work for LAND as a full-time job. This group, especially Gertrude Dixon and Naomi Jacobson, gave testimony at the state Capitol and at utility hearings and talked to school groups of all ages. At one point they even spoke to a class of nuclear engineering students. Mrs. Dixon and Ms. Jacobson, along with Mr. Dixon and Charles W. Huver, wrote a book titled Methodologies for the Study of Low-Level Radiation in the Midwest (1979). Mrs. Dixon also contributed to many other publications, including A Primer on Nuclear Power (1979) and Threats to Wisconsin Communities (1981).
LAND completed four studies pertaining to radiation of milk in Wisconsin, emergency evacuation plans for nuclear power plants, and low-level radiation. Research was also undertaken regarding cancer incidence in central Wisconsin.
LAND had hundreds of monetary contributors and an active membership of about fifty. Most of the active members were women in their 30's and 40's. The group had an informal structure and decisions were made by consensus. There were no official officers, but Mrs. Dixon and Ms. Jacobson were two of the most active members and spearheaded many activities.
The Rudolph plant was never built. During the period of LAND's existence, eight nuclear power plants were proposed in Wisconsin. None were built. By 1980, the Wisconsin Public Service Commission had canceled plans for all plants. LAND re-focused its attention to other nuclear issues including radiation exposure in Northern Wisconsin and nuclear waste sites proposed in Wisconsin. The group disbanded around 1983. Many of LAND's active members became involved in groups concerned with nuclear issues on the state, national, and international level.
