Debates over the use of nuclear power plants in New York City have received much attention in recent years. Many scientists believe that the use of nuclear energy would be beneficial to New York City, as copious amounts of electricity are needed to power the Big Apple; However, one of the main arguments made by opponents is that the use of nuclear energy will lead to negative effects such as radiation exposure, debt and could allow the plant to become a potential target for terrorist attacks. This document describes some constitutional issues relating to the use of nuclear power plants with particular attention to the risks involved and concludes with the implications for alternative sources of energy. II Safety risk is a discussed issue regarding nuclear energy production because there are many risks involved with radioactive waste from nuclear energy. Arguments against nuclear energy include the catastrophe that occurred in Fukushima, Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. In each of these places an accident occurred and radiation flooded the air. The atmosphere became contaminated with radioactive waste, and those exposed to it suffered long-term consequences. “The explosion of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine demonstrated how nuclear energy can destroy us as easily as it meets our daily needs” (Smith 2011). Therefore, the damage done due to a possible meltdown of a nuclear reactor is too great a risk that should not be taken. “…it has been estimated that nearly 5 million people in the former Soviet Union were affected by the spread of radiation, including 4,000 who developed thyroid cancer due to consumption of radioactive milk and other exposures” (Smith 2011) . This statement explains one of the long-term effects of cancer. As a result, more radiation in the atmosphere will only harm the inhabitants. A nuclear power plant should not be built in New York City for the numerous reasons given. A nuclear power plant proves to be more harmful than beneficial, as history, science, statistics and philosophy have shown. Radiation from a nuclear power plant, both high and low doses, has been proven to have harmful effects on inhabitants. The process of obtaining uranium to fuel the nuclear reactor is also deemed dangerous due to the possibility of workers becoming ill from radon gas. Many nuclear reactors are being built around the world and it is important to know the harmful effects it brings before its construction. People should be aware of the negative reasons for building a nuclear power plant in their area to possibly avoid a serious problem.