Wednesday, June 3, 2015

WEST COAST RADIATION TESTING CENSORED INTERNAL EMAILS

FOIA Document — Excerpts from email by Per Peterson, Chair of Dept. of Nuclear Engineering at Univ.of California Berkeley & scientific adviser to Energy Secretary Steven Chu , Mar 23, 2011

THROUGH THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT, EMAILS BETWEEN BERKELEY NUCLEAR ENGINEER PER PETERSON AND DICK GARWIN, IBM FELLOW AND THE MAN ENRICO FERMI CALLED "A TRUE GENIUS", JOHN HOLDREN, SENIOR ADVISER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, AND SECRETARY OF ENERGY STEVEN CHU, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE) AND NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (NRC) OFFICIALS, AND OTHERS WHOSE NAMES WERE REDACTED IN THE RELEASE OF THESE EMAILS, WERE OBTAINED AND PUT ONLINE, BUT SO WERE OTHERS...SOME VERY REVEALING ABOUT THOSE EARLY DAYS AT THE DAIICHI FACILITY, HOW QUICKLY THE FUEL POOLS BEGAN AND CONTINUED TO BOIL DRY UNTIL...EXPLOSIONS, MASS RELEASE OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL, IN AIRBORNE PLUMES, INTO THE OCEAN, AND INTO THE SOIL, IN JAPAN AND IN NORTH AMERICA, AND BY NOW, ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE. 

THE EMAILS WERE SENT IN MARCH, 2011. 


THE LAST ONES I WILL POST SHOULD SHOW US WHY OUR MAINSTREAM MEDIA SOURCES, OUR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND OUR CONGRESS HAVE ALL SWEPT THIS INCREDIBLE, UNENDING GLOBAL CATASTROPHE UNDER EVERY DIRTY RUG THEY CAN. 
IT'S THAT DAMNABLE "DON'T PANIC THE FLOCK" IDIOCY AGAIN.
MAYBE...I HOPE IT'S THAT AND NOT THE OLD DRIVE OF A HUNDRED YEARS TO
REDUCE GLOBAL POPULATION, "PURIFY" THE GENE POOL, AND CLEAR GROUND FOR THAT ANCIENT DREAM OF A "MASTER RACE" . 


I GET VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT EVERY TIME I SEE NEEDLESS SUFFERING OR INTENTIONAL HARM OF CHILDREN.

SOME OF THE GREATEST MINDS IN SCIENCE AND MEDICINE HAVE SAID SINCE MARCH 11, 2011, THAT IF THE PROBLEMS AT THE DAIICHI NUCLEAR FACILITY ARE NOT FIXED, WE WILL SEE AN EXTINCTION LEVEL EVENT, AND HUMAN BEINGS WILL GO THE WAY OF THE WIND.

READ THE EMAILS, ADD THEM TO WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW...THAT TEPCO, THE ENTIRE PRO-NUCLEAR COMMUNITY AND AT LEAST THE JAPANESE AND AMERICAN GOVERNMENTS ARE COMPLICIT IN THIS GLOBAL THREAT THAT HAS EVERY POTENTIAL TO ERADICATE MUCH, IF NOT MOST, LIFE ON THE THIRD PLANET FROM THE SUN.

HEAVILY REDACTED EMAILS ALWAYS MAKE ME ANGRY.

PRIOR TO THE EMAILS REGARDING I-131, THERE ARE SEVERAL EMAIL EXCHANGES BETWEEN U.S. AND JAPANESE OFFICIALS ABOUT SOME VIDEO OF AN EXPERIMENT THAT WAS CARRIED OUT SOON AFTER THE DISASTER IN JAPAN.

From: GAS Serge, NEA/RE
Sent: Friday, March 18, 2011 10:41 AM
To: KAMADA Toshihiko [Company Name]
Cc: YOSHIMURA Uichiro, NEA/SRAN; STANFORD Benjamin, NEA/RE
Subject: FW: FW: NHK-TV, )apan - Sandia OECD Lower Head Failure Project - final report
Importance: High

Dear Toshi,
Please see the exchange of messages below. In fact we have found the footage but the video could have some impact on the public so I think you should have a look before we pass it to the TV channel. 
Our webmaster Ben Stanford is going to send it to you very soon.
Best regards,
Serge

A REPLY:

To: GAS Serge, NEA/RE
Cc: HUERTA Alejandro, NEA/SURN; TURCHI Elodie, PAC/WASH; RUMPF Matthias, PAC/WASH; FISHER
Helen, PAC/COM
Subject: Re: FW: NHK-TV, Japan - Sandia OECD Lower Head Failure Project - final report
Mr. Serge Gas,
Thank you very much for this.
Can you please tell me if you have a video footage of the experiment?
If you do, I would like to send someone from NHK Europe to retrieve it today.
I have contacted Sandia, but they unfortunately do not want to help in this matter
and are not lifting a finger. Thank you again.
Hiro

AND, NO, THEY CAN'T SEND IT, BUT, WE FIND OUT WHAT THAT EXPERIMENT WAS FOR:

On 3/18/2011 1:55 AM, Serge.GAS@oecd.org wrote:

Dear Hiro, This is the final report of the OECD (Sandia) Lower Head Failure project run between 2000 and 2002. 
The final report is available (downloadable) on our public website: 

We cannot send it since it is 570 pages and about 40 Mbytes, without the appendices. 
These experiments were to assess resistance of reactor vessel in case of core melt down.
Our expert Alejandro Huerta (copied, +33 1 45 24 10 57) can help you to understand the report if you need it.

Best regards,
Mr. Serge Gas
Head, Central Secretariat, External Relations and Public Affairs

IT SEEMS SEVERAL DID NOT WANT THE VIDEO RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC, AGAIN CITING "PUBLIC ALARM". 

IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF THE EMAIL ABOVE, THAT "LOWER HEAD FAILURE PROJECT, FINAL REPORT" CAN BE VIEWED IN PDF FORM <HERE>.

WHAT A READ THAT IS!

I ALSO FOUND THE FOLLOWING WEBSITE WITH EXPLANATORY PHOTOS AND CHARTS TO SHOW US "LOWER HEAD FAILURE".

http://enformable.com/2011/12/april-14th-2011-debris-in-lower-head-lower-head-failure/

[NOTE: THAT WEBSITE ALSO HAS A FAIR COLLECTION OF FOIA (FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT) DATA EXCLUSIVELY RELATING TO FUKUSHIMA.
<CLICK HERE>

A NICE FIND!]

FOLLOWING THE DISCUSSION ON RELEASING THE VIDEO OF THE "EXPERIMENT" IS A SET OF EMAILS ABOUT "PLATTS NEWS FLASHES" WITH ALMOST ALL OF EVERY PAGE REDACTED.

UNTIL WE COME TO THIS ONE:
Nuclear News Flashes Sunday, Mar 20, 2011 

Copyright Platts 2011 A Division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 
All rights reserved. http://www.platts.com

[Inside This Issue:] 

** Recovery efforts continue at Fukushima nuclear power plant 
** Fukushima units remain in 'precarious' situation: ASN 
** Food contamination around Fukushima requires countermeasures: ASN ** Focus must remain on cooling Fukushima's damaged reactors: Jaczko 
** us nuclear power plants safe: Energy secretary Chu

THEN, ALL BLACK PAGES.

THAT LAST LINE, "U.S. NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS SAFE"...WHAT A BLATANT AND OUTRIGHT LOAD OF BULL IS THAT! 
WE MIGHT SAY THAT ICBMs ARE "SAFE" ...UNTIL SOMEONE PUSHES THAT BIG RED BUTTON!

OUR CRUMBLING, LEAKING NUCLEAR FACILITIES ARE ANYTHING BUT "SAFE"!

EITHER BECAUSE SHE'S ALSO WELL AWARE OF THE DANGERS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY/NUCLEAR WASTE OR BECAUSE OF SOMETHING WE AREN'T ALLOWED TO SEE IN ALL THOSE BLACKED-OUT PAGES, CYNTHIA CARPENTER ASKED:

From: Carpenter, Cynthia -• 

To: Gibson, Kathy 
Sent: Mon Mar 21 03:01:32 2011 
Subject: FW: Platts Nuclear News Flashes 

Kathy Is Jack Foster looking into additional detail on the information below with respect to reported contamination in spinach and milk, what actions the Japanese are taking and also, are these actions consistent with what the NRC would recommend?

THE REPLY IS...REDACTED, ALL BLACK.

SKIP TO DISCUSSION ABOUT DAIICHI UNIT 4:

From: Gauntt, Randall 0 

To: Gibson, Kathy; Uhle, Jennifer 
Cc: Tinkler, Charles; Pickering, Susan Y ; Schaperow, Jason; 'kcw@dycoda.com' 
Sent: Mon Mar 21 07:09:41 2011 
Subject: RE: Fuku-4 Fuel Pool - MELCOR Results 

548 @105 days offload, 659 ( 500 days offload. 

Don't know burnup, but GE-calculated isotopic inventories are included in spreadsheet. 

I am headed to Dana's course on Severe Accidents and will have blckberry, but no way to send files.

Randy 


From: Gibson, Kathy [Kathy.Gibson@nrc.gov] 
Sent: Monday, March 21, 2011 5:06 AM 
To: Gauntt, Randall 0; Uhle, Jennifer 
Cc: Tinkler, Charles; Pickering, Susan Y; Schaperow, Jason; 'kcw@dycoda.com' 
Subject: Re: Fuku-4 Fuel Pool - MELCOR Results 

Can anyone confirm the numbers and age of the fuel in SFP4? 


From: Gauntt, Randall 0 
To: Uhle, Jennifer Cc: Tinkler, Charles; Pickering, Susan Y ; Schaperow, Jason; Gibson, Kathy; kcw@dycoda.com 
Sent: Mon Mar 21 06:49:52 2011 Subject: 
RE: Fuku-4 Fuel Pool - MELCOR Results 

Sorry Jennifer, You might have misunderstood a bit of what I said. 
Wagner's latest analysis says the pool smoulders but doesn't get really hot enough owing to starvation of the Zr reaction to really light off. 
He didn't provide FP (FISSION PRODUCT) release, but one might expect low releases of Cs - all of any remaining noble gas perhaps. 
I have not seen this latest analysis. 
The last SFP (SPENT FUEL POOL) source term that I sent in was based on a Peach Bottom Analysis and scaled for Fuku-4. 
The source term for this analysis that KC sent late Friday will be much lower. 
I was not aware that this calculation had finished. 

KC - were there no FP releases? 
Can you send more results?

Randy

WHAT FOLLOWS THIS IS A VERY HEATED THOUGH MOSTLY CIVIL EXCHANGE BETWEEN 'JENNIFER' AND 'RANDY', WHO SEEMS TO TAKE GREAT OFFENSE THAT JENNIFER MIGHT HAVE CHOSEN ANOTHER 'TEAM'S' RESULTS OVER THEIR TEAM'S CALCULATIONS...OR SO IT SEEMS.


From: Uhle, Jennifer [Jennifer.Uhle@nrc.gov] 
Sent: Monday, March 21, 2011 3:28 AM 
To: Gauntt, Randall 0 Cc: Tinkler, Charles; Pickering, Susan Y; Schaperow, Jason; Gibson, Kathy 
Subject: RE; Fuku-4 Fuel Pool - MELCOR Results 

Randy, no one is questioning NRC's analyses.
We have a KAPL representative here at the Ops Center and he indicated that KAPL had done some calculations using MELCOR for the Admiral and they wanted to ask NRC's help in reviewing them. So, I contacted Jason to review the analysis and he said that you guys had done these analyses a few days ago. I asked Jason to talk to KAPL and inform them of our work so they would hopefully use our analyses. 

I have no idea what happened on the call with KAPL. 
I certainly believe our team has done the best analysis. 
I also would never ask KAPL to review any analyses you guys do. 
That is not what initiated the communication with KAPL. 

The Admiral and Chairman Jaczko are meeting tomorrow at 8:00 and I am informing the Chairman of our conclusions, not KAPL's
I don't even know what KAPL's were. 

Jennifer 

'RANDY' NAILS HER HARD!
HOW DARE SHE!
HIS EMAIL IS FULL TO OVERFLOWING OF UNCORRECTED TYPOS...ANGRY MUCH, RANDY?

From: Gauntt, Randall 0 
[mailto:rogaunt@sandia.gov] 
Sent: Monday, March 21, 2011 1:17 AM 
To: Uhle, Jennifer Cc: Tinkler, Charles; Pickering, Susan Y Subject: 
FW: Fuku-4 Fuel Pool - MELCOR Results

Jennifer, I gather that you are drawn to evaluation KAPL analyses that were hurriedly put together last week based ob=n cobbled up Grand Gulkf decks, 


We have been develping and valudating SFP analyses under the multi-million dollar NRC and now OECD programs to model SFP behavior. 

We have worked this for years and the skill to make MELCIOR model SFP is not trivial nor accomplished on a Thursday afternoon. 

NRC hase the best technology and talent at their disposal. 

NRC RES shoukd not be pout in the position of evauluating every johnny-come-lately analysis out of left field when you are commander of the most elete troops. Hope you will find the resukits informative. 

We have also prepared SOURCE TERmS for Unit-4 pool accident and analagous MACCS analyses based on your requestl last thurdsday. 

You have lots of talent and results at tour dispoosal, and I would me bore than happy to brief tyou on that. 

I am here all week supopooirting Dana in hus severe accudent ckass, and would be happy to come out and brief/brainstorm this mess. 

The KAPal analysis is very runimentary and they had to have second thoughts about sending.
Jennifer - you have paid good money for the best research that there is - make use if it to show leadership that yoiu so deserve. You can reach me tomorrow: NRC traniningn center (505)2646849 or by e-mail. 


Dont dump sand!!!!! 
Use our source terms !!!!!!
Tell Naval Reactor what the source term is, 

You neede a briefing, - name your time!!!

Randy

SHEESH! TOUCHY MUCH, RANDY?
AND NO SPELL CHECK, DUDE?


I BET THE OTHER TEAM GOT HIGHER NUMBERS THAN OLD NRC, RIGHT, RANDY?
SHOWED YOURS WERE CRAP, MAYBE?

A DISCUSSION ENSUES ABOUT WHETHER UNIT 4 FUEL POOL HAS BOILED DRY:

"Also, is there any latest best guess as to water level in FU-4 - yesterday NRC Chairman said it was dry; MELCOR says it covered; helecopter flyby says they saw a reflection of the sky in the top-down view. "


From: Gauntt, Randall 0 
Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2011 11:06 PM

We would say that unless there was a leak, the fuel should only just now be uncovering????   

Randy

RIGHT, RANDY..."WE WOULD SAY" WHATEVER "WE" DECIDED TO SAY TO PREVENT ALL THAT CRAZY PUBLIC PANIC OR RAISE ALARM, YES?
SURE...ANYTHING BUT THE TRUTH, EH? 


THERE IS A CONSIDERABLE GREATER AMOUNT OF REVEALING EMAILS REGARDING SPENT FUEL RODS AND POOLS AND "THINGS ARE JUST FINE, THANKS" AND OTHER LIES SUCH FOLKS MUST HAVE TO TELL THEMSELVES TO CREATE THEIR 'ROSE-COLORED GLASSES' WORLD, BUT LET'S MOVE ON TO WHY THE NRC AND OTHER PRO-NUKE "EXPERTS" DID NOT SAMPLE WEST COAST RESIDENTS FOR IODINE-131, KNOWING HOW LITTLE IT TAKES TO CAUSE HORRIBLE PROBLEMS IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN.

WE COULD HAVE HAD IMPORTANT KNOWLEDGE, MAYBE EVEN SAVED SOME PEOPLE FROM YEARS OF ILLNESS OR DEATH, BUT, NOPE! 


CAN'T RAISE ALARM,MUST NOT CAUSE PANIC, AND NO MATTER WHAT, NEVER REPORT ANYTHING THAT MIGHT CAUSE PEOPLE TO SAY,
" HEY! WE HAVE THE SAME TYPE REACTOR HERE, AND OURS ALSO LIE ON MAJOR FAULTS, NEAR THE OCEAN, ETC, AND MAY HAVE THE SAME DESIGN FLAWS AS DAIICHI!" 


SHHHH!
HUSH NOW!

DON'T THINK ABOUT THAT!
SMILE, THINK HAPPY THOUGHTS!

IGNORANCE IS BLISS!

NO, IGNORANCE IS IGNORANCE AND CAUSES FATALITIES! 


WHAT THE LATER EMAILS SHOW IS THAT PETERSON WASN'T AS CONCERNED ABOUT THE  EXPOSURE OF WEST COAST RESIDENTS TO FUKUSHIMA RADIATION, ESPECIALLY IODINE-131 (I-131), AS HE WAS IN BUILDING PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN WHATEVER THEIR EXPERTS AND OFFICIALS TOLD THEM! 

THE PSYCHOLOGY HE EMPLOYS IN SHOWING HOW TO CONVINCE THE PUBLIC THAT ALL IS WELL IS JUST TOTALLY OBVIOUS.
DO THE STUDIES, LET THE SILLY SHEEP SEE ALL IS WELL. 


PLEASE, PAY ATTENTION TO THE LANGUAGE OF THIS EMAIL, SEE HOW WE, THE PEOPLE, THE PUBLIC, ARE THOUGHT OF BY THESE "EXPERTS".

From: Per F. Peterson <peterson@nuc.berkeley.edu>
To: Koonin, Steven <Steven.Koonin@science.doe.gov>; Adams, Ian <lan.Adams@Hq.Doe.Gov>; Aoki,
Steven <Steven.Aoki@nnsa.doe.gov>; Binkley, Steve <Steve.Binkley@science.doe.gov>; Brinkman, Bill
<Bill.Bdnkman@science.doe.gov>; RJBudnitz@lbl.gov <RJBudnitz@lbl.gov>; SCHU <SCHU@hq.doe.gov>;
DAgostino, Thomas <Thomas.DAgostino@nnsa.doe.gov>; StevenA._ Fetterost0.eoo.aov <,tve, Efe ias eop.gov>; Finck, Phillip <phillip.finck@inl.gov>;
Grossenbacher, John (INL) <john.grossenbacher@inl.gov>; John Holdren
Hurlbut, Brandon <Brandon.HurlbutChq.doe.gov>; Kelly, John E (NE)
<JohnE.Kelly@Nuclear.Energy.Gov>; McFarlane, Harold <harold.mcfarlane@inl.gov>; Owens, Missy
<Missy.Owens@hq.doe.gov>; Poneman, Daniel <Daniel.Poneman@hq.doe.gov>; Sheron, Brian;
ronaldo.szilard@inl.gov <ronaldo.szilard@inl.gov>; rlg2@us.ibm.com <rlg2@us.ibm.com>; Per F. Peterson
<peterson@nuc.berkeley.edu>; Lyons, Peter <Peter. Lyons@Nuclear. Energy.gov>
Sent: Wed Mar 23 13:35:11 2011
Subject: Public health: another issue that needs near-term action

I would like to raise another issue which now merits expeditious, near term action.
There is a short time window now, of about 6 to 8 weeks, during which it will remain possible to use whole body counting and other methods to measure any I-131 that members of the public may have ingested. 

There are a number of reasons why collecting this data, from a sufficiently large sample of the public and workers to get statistically strong data, would be very valuable. 
that I have raised this question with other members of the UCB faculty, and there is general agreement that prompt action should be taken in this area. 

I do understand that the IAEA has been making measurements, but I am not sure what specifically they have been doing and whether this includes whole-body counting (which can measure body burdens of radioactive materials resolved by isotopes).  

Below I discuss this issue in greater detail, outline the reasons why prompt action is likely warranted, and discuss what actions DOE could take immediately in this area.   

There has been a program at the Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center near WIPP, that has been funded by the DOE, that has performed whole body counting:
http://www.cemrc.org/health/liedown.htm
[ACTUALLY, THAT'S FOUND <HERE>.]


This program at CEMRC has had important and valuable effects in increasing public confidence, since any member of the public with a concern about potential exposures can determine whether any has happened.  

In the longer term many cases of thyroid cancer, and other health problems, may end up being attributed to exposures from the Fukushima accident, both in Japan and on the U.S. west coast. 
Unless statistically strong data is collected in this short time window, it will be difficult to provide a strong and scientifically valid argument about the probability that these diseases have originated from exposures resulting from this accident.   

The second reason to collect this data is that it is possible that we will find that some people HAVE received doses of 1-131 and other radionuclides that could exceed the levels that current Protective Action Guidelines  are designed to prevent.  

This could provide a basis for immediate action to change PAG's, as well as the ability in the longer term to reassess and improve our approaches to PAGs.  

  Also, the effectiveness of emergency response depends strongly on the level of public confidence that the government has people's best interests in mind; collecting data that shows the effectiveness (or lack of effectiveness) of these efforts could be central to building longer-term confidence and thus incentivizing more people to follow government recommendations in future emergencies of all types.  

The third reason to collect this data is that it could identify individuals who HAVE had significant exposure to I- 131 or other radionuclides, and alert them and their medical care professionals to monitor for potential health effects. 

For remaining people, it could provide reassurance that they do not need to worry about long-term health impacts from the accident.

A fourth reason to collect this data is that it could provide a good statistical basis to correlate data taken from hand-held monitors (I presume these exist) that can be used to screen large numbers of people, to actual, 
sotope-resolved whole-body burdens.

It may even make sense to support bringing some people to the CEMRC facility in Carlsbad, since it has extremely high resolution, so that there can be a direct comparison between rapid monitoring methods, conventional whole body counts, and the extremely accurate counts possible at the CEMRC facility.  

I should emphasize that substantial care must be taken in organizing any activity to collect data, with respect to public opinion in Japan. 

There are very strong reasons to gather data, but it must be done in a way that is broadly viewed as being in the interest of the public and the individuals involved. 

Having some significant role played by universities may be helpful, as well as the IAEA, so that the effort would not be viewed as being a government-directed effort, given current low levels of trust in the government.

"THERE IS ONLY A 6 TO 8 WEEK WINDOW WHERE WHOLE-BODY COUNTING IS PRACTICAL FOR DETECTING I-131.
I WOULD....."  


AND THE REST IS REDACTED!

THE WINDOW CLOSED... CHILDREN WERE NOT TESTED.

NRC AND ALL THE REST KNOW  ALL IS NOT WELL! 
SO STUDIES WERE DENIED!

 PETERSON WANTED TO GATHER DATA, INITIALLY, FROM "LABORATORY EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEERS" TO FORM A DATA BASE, IN CASE PEOPLE LATER BEGAN BLAMING THYROID CANCERS ON THE DAIICHI ACCIDENT.

IT WAS THE POSITION OF STEPHANIE BUSH-GODDARD OF THE NRC ( Mar 23 @ 6:12pm) THAT SUCH TESTING WAS A BAD IDEA BECAUSE  "setting up additional monitoring stations for the public (without detecting anything) could cause additional alarm… I think they are responding to the public RASCAL run that shows very high doses to the Thyroid."  

TO WHICH KATHY GIBSON OF THE NRC REPLIED: "[NRC's Radiation Protection and Health Effects Branch] think it’s a bad idea for people in the US because there (so far) isn’t measurable iodine in the US… They think this may be a funding opportunity for the entities making these proposals."

THE "RASCAL" RUN BUSH-GODDARD REFERRED TO IS LIKELY SOMETHING AKIN TO AN EPA PLANNING AND GUIDANCE DOCUMENT SUCH AS THIS: <CLICK HERE>

NRC DOESN'T WANT THE PROVERBIAL CAT OUT OF THE BAG.
WE JUST CAN'T BE SURE WHAT THEIR REAL MOTIVE IS FOR HELPING JAPAN COVER UP THE EXTENT OF THE RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION IN HUMAN BEINGS AND OUR ENVIRONMENT.

SO WHO IS MONITORING ANYTHING?

FROM AN ARTICLE IN THE SEATTLE TIMES:
"The Washington Department of Health posts only gross radiation levels, with no information on specific isotopes.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which operates a nationwide network of air, rainwater and milk monitoring stations, has released a few batches of data, including two results from milk testing: a sample from Des Moines that showed no detectable radiation and one from Spokane with trace amounts of iodine-131.

Scientists from the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland shared some of the initial data from ultrasensitive instruments designed to detect fallout from nuclear tests, but have since declined to make other results public."


WHY? 
WHY NOT REPORT TO THE PUBLIC IF ALL IS WELL?
TOO "ALARMING"?
WOULD IT CAUSE "PUBLIC PANIC:"? 


OR IS IT BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE MIGHT ACTUALLY BE HELPED BY KNOWING? 


"The EPA on Monday reported its first findings of radionuclides from Japan in U.S. drinking water in Richland and Boise, a week after the samples were collected and six days after the Berkeley team posted similar findings for tap water on its campus.
“If a university professor and his students can collect samples and turn them around in a reasonable amount of time and report it, you would think government officials could do the same,” said Robert Alvarez, senior scholar at the liberal think tank Institute for Policy Studies and a former DOE deputy assistant secretary for national security.
Alvarez agrees that U.S. levels are not dangerous, but the “lack of transparency” fuels mistrust, he said.
EPA Press Secretary Brendan Gilfillan said Tuesday the agency is releasing data as fast as it can process samples and verify results. EPA labs are so backed up that lag times of a week are common. Washington state’s Health Department is focused on testing and analysis and only alerts the public of significant findings, said spokesman Donn Moyer.
A PNNL spokesman said scientists there are delaying release of their monitoring results until they can be peer-reviewed.
It was partially frustration with the lack of information that inspired Miller and his UW colleagues to build their own “McGyver” monitoring system. Even minute quantities of radioactive material can interfere with physics experiments, so the scientists need to know what’s in the air.
The team found a high-flow air duct atop the Physics-Astronomy building on campus, and pulled one of the filters, where radioactive material hitching a ride on dust particles would likely collect.
In the lab, they rigged a detector using instruments on hand and lead-block shielding to screen out background radiation. They got their first positive reading from filters that were in place on March 17-18, about a week after the earthquake.
Isotope levels spiked on March 20, when iodine-131 activity measured about 4.5 millibecquerels, or 0.12 picocuries, per cubic meter of air. The biggest peak appears to correspond with the initial hydrogen explosions at the Japanese reactors, Miller said. Subsequent explosions generated a much smaller peak that reached Seattle about nine days later. Since then, levels have diminished to the point that they will be undetectable in a day or so, Miller predicts.
The crippled reactors are still emitting radioactive material, Alvarez said, particularly in the form of contaminated water being dumped into the sea. But the type of releases that loft isotopes into air currents headed for North America appear to have stopped... for now.
The Berkeley team’s highest measurements came from rainwater samples collected on March 23. 

Iodine-131 levels were 540 picocuries per liter. That’s 180 times higher than EPA’s 3 picocurie per liter standard for radioactive iodine in drinking water.

 On Monday, EPA reported that rainwater in Olympia collected on March 24 contained 125 picocuries per liter, about 42 times higher than the standard.

Critiquing comparisons
Vetter and his colleagues try to put the health risks in perspective by pairing their data with calculations of “effective doses.” For example, a person would have to drink 134 liters of the rainwater with the highest radiation levels to equal the average radiation exposure from flying cross-country. And radiation is dropping off quickly.
Alvarez is critical of those kinds of comparisons, which are also offered by EPA and health agencies.
Isotopes like iodine-131 are not part of normal background radiation, and have unique properties that background radiation does not, like accumulating in the thyroid gland, he pointed out.   

“The doses are extremely small, and so, too, are the risks,” he said. “But they liken it to everyday life and it’s NOT like everyday life. 
You shouldn’t have radioactive iodine even in TINY quantities finding its way into your milk supplies.”

MAINSTREAM MEDIA DOESN'T "FEATURE" EXPERTS WHO TELL THE TRUTH, REPORT THE FACTS.
ROSE-COLORED GLASSES ARE THE TREND IN "JOURNALISM". 
PAINT IT ALL ROSY...UNLESS UNCLE SAM SAYS 'SCARE HELL OUT OF THEM'. 
'NOTHING BUT A LOAD OF BULL, SO HELP ME...???"
SING 'EM A LULLABY, GET 'EM BACK TO SLEEP...QUICKLY!

WAY BACK WHEN ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE IN JAPAN, FORBES HALF-HEARTEDLY REPORTED ON RADIATION FOUND IN DRINKING WATER IN OVER A DOZEN CITIES, CONTAMINATION OF MILK IN VERMONT, ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, AND ARKANSAS.  
SEVERAL MSM NEWS AGENCIES USED THE DISASTER TO SELL A FEW MORE COPIES FOR AWHILE...THEN THEY SHUT IT DOWN.

MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, FOIA WILL REVEAL MORE FACTS, MORE OF THE FAILURE, THE COLLUSION GOING ON TO KEEP US IN THE DARK, KEEP US FROM PANIC...


AND KEEP US FROM DEMANDING THIS NIGHTMARE IS ENDED!



A PHOTO OF THE DAMAGE AT DAIICHI THAT I HAD NOT SEEN BEFORE. THIS WAS TAKEN IN FEBRUARY, 2012,  ALMOST A YEAR AFTER THE QUAKE. VERY LARGE IMAGE <HERE> 



ABOVE, A MORE RECENT LOOK: 
TEPCO IS MAKING DAMN LITTLE PROGRESS,,,


BELOW IS THE SUPPOSED MONITORING OF SEVERAL SITES AROUND THE DAIICHI FACILITY, ON MARCH 23, 2011.


CAN WE BELIEVE THIS? 
There are other early monitors data <here>.

"Elevated levels of radioactive material in rainwater were expected
as a result of the Japanese nuclear incident because of contaminant 
transport in the atmosphere."

REALLY?

LOOKING AT THE FALLOUT MAP, IT DOESN'T SEEM POSSIBLE THAT SO SMALL A SPOT ON THE EARTH COULD POISON SO LARGE AN AREA...DOES IT?

EVERY DAY,ALL DAY, UNENDING, THERE'S JUST MORE!


No comments:

Post a Comment