For New Yorkers living near nuclear reactors, this is a story that hits close to home.

In 2010, the United States announced the first new nuclear power plant construction in over 32 years. The “Nuclear Renaissance” was born, and America’s long&”8208;stalled expansion of nuclear energy was infused with new life.

On March 11, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake hit Japan and caused chaos at the Fukushima Dai’ichi Power Plant. The accident in Japan sent ripples all the way to the US, and suddenly the fierce debate over the safety and viability of nuclear power was back in the public consciousness.

The new documentary from Sheena Joyce and Don Argott (STF alums with THE ART OF THE STEAL, ROCK SCHOOL), THE ATOMIC STATES OF AMERICA, takes the viewer on a journey to reactor communities around the country, and seeks to explore the truths and myths of nuclear power. From the gates of Three Mile Island, to the cooling ponds of Braidwood, IL, this film introduces the viewer to people who have been on the front lines of this issue for decades.

Begun more than a year before the disaster in Japan, the deeply investigated documentary gains a unique before and after perspective, and includes interviews with: Nuclear Regulatory Commission inspectors, community advocates, investigative journalists, renowned physicists, nuclear engineers, and former government leaders.

As the nation stands at the crossroads of the Nuclear Renaissance, THE ATOMIC STATES OF AMERICA seeks to inspire an honest dialog about whether or not man can responsibly split the atom.

Atomic States of America (excerpt) from ro*co films on Vimeo.