As the nuclear crisis in Japan deepens, local community groups gathered Thursday to call for the closing of nuclear plants in the United States.
Representatives from groups like the Peace Action of CNY and the Syracuse Peace Council gathered in downtown Syracuse.
Two nuclear stations are within 35 miles of Syracuse, Nine Mile Point 1 and Fitzpatrick.
Jessica Maxwell of the SPC says, "If either one of those plants were to suffer an accident like the one experienced in Japan, all of Syracuse would be inside the 50 mile evacuation zone that US officials have now proposed."
The groups are calling for an accelerated phasing out of nuclear plants in the US.
Even though Central New York would never experience a Tsunami like in Japan, they say the severe weather in the region caused power outages that could cause problems for nuclear plants.
The groups say they will be contacting their local elected officials to push their plan of closing power plants.
