If you're living relatively close to a coal power plant you're already worse off. Statistically, you should be far more afraid of living next to one.
I'm not saying it's something that should be dismissed, but I do think that we just have to take into account that anything that handles humongous amounts of energy in a concentrated space is dangerous, but nuclear energy is less so than most alternatives.
Or an oil refinery, people in the area close to the La Teja oil refinery here in Uruguay have significantly increased cases of mercury poisoning and child underdevelopment.
And here in Uruguay, the current way to supplement the already exhausted hydroelectric power is burning oil - I'm advocating a nuclear power plant to get us out of our current energy crisis (and I would have it in my backyard if needed)
I'm not saying it's something that should be dismissed, but I do think that we just have to take into account that anything that handles humongous amounts of energy in a concentrated space is dangerous, but nuclear energy is less so than most alternatives.