ABSTRACT
This chapter is based on the national and local polls about Three Mile Island (TMI) and nuclear power conducted by professional survey research organizations in the wake of the accident. There was considerable variation in views about how candid the TMI "actors" had been with the public. A sizable portion of the public criticized the authorities' handling of the accident. The accident occurred during a gasoline shortage-a reminder of the energy crunch and the nation's need for indigenous sources of energy such as nuclear power. The nuclear industry has engaged in a large public-relations campaign to publicize the reassuring interpretation of the accident, the actions being taken by industry to ensure that an event does not recur, and the acceptability of the risks involved because of the need for this source of energy. The public's uncertainty or ambivalence about nuclear power is further revealed by the extent to which support or opposition varies according to the question's assurance about safety.
