Revised Introduction

After reading the tips in Student Guide,  I actually thought my introduction did a good job as it was. The new introduction is very similar to the old one, but I decided to re-word a few parts to make the information clearer. I also framed the issue a little differently so that it fit with the rest of my analysis. 

New version:

Man Americans are unaware of the necessity of a nuclear waste repository. Many people can remember the failures of the Yucca Mountain repository in Nevada. That project was met with huge opposition by the people of Nevada. But why did they oppose it? Were they afraid that the facility would endanger the health of nearby citizens? Or did they think that by opposing the repository, the waste wouldn't be created in the first place? Both of these fears are ill-founded, since extensive research has gone into ensuring the former does not occur. Furthermore, the US already has created lots of its nuclear waste, some of it dating back more than fifty years. This waste, without a facility, is stored above ground at temporary locations, where it has a much higher potential to contaminate the environment. Since Yucca mountain, the US created the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in southern New Mexico. This new plant, like its predecessor, was met with a lot of opposition. The scientific community, however, needed to face this opposition with articles and other writings that documented why the WIPP is a safe place to store this waste.  One such piece comes from New York Time’s writer Matthew Wald. In his article, “Nuclear Waste Solution Seen in Desert Salt Beds,” he constructs a supported argument  in favor of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in southern New Mexico. He accomplishes this by employing effective use of appeals to credibility and logic that are appropriate for his general, non-technical audience. 

Old version:

The US has been at the forefront of nuclear energy and weaponry since the inception of this specific science. Most people remember the Manhattan project and how it started the world’s first nuclear weapons protocol. The issue with nuclear energy and the creation of nuclear weapons creates waste. Nuclear waste is hazardous to our health and as such it must be dealt with properly. So far, what humans have decided to do with this waste is bury it underground in what are called repositories. The next issue, though, is where to locate these repositories. Years ago, a repository called Yucca mountain in Nevada opened up. It has since been shut down due to a huge base of opposition that formed in that state. After Yucca mountain’s use was discontinued, the US was desperate for a new repository. They found their new facility in the salt beds of southeastern New Mexico and west Texas. In this arid desert, deep underground lies the remnants of an ocean from the Permian age. The ocean dried, depositing a large amount of salt in the earth. The salt turned out to be a perfect place to have a nuclear repository, which was dubbed the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Yet due to the nature of the repository, as well as some recent accidents that have occurred with this plant, it’s continued use remains a sensitive issue. Experts and the public alike are split on this issue. As such, many speeches and articles have been released to the public urging a specific position. One such piece comes from New York Time’s writer Matthew Wald. In his article, “Nuclear Waste Solution Seen in Desert Salt Beds,” he constructs a supported argument  in favor of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in southern New Mexico. He accomplishes this by employing effective use of appeals to credibility and logic that are appropriate for his general, non-technical audience.