Japan plant 12-mile radius evacuation. How do we know if we live in evacuation zone in US?

[doodle]

Karen Silkwood played by Meryl Streep in movie Silkwood had left an indelibe impression years ago. Does anyone know if similar safety radius distance guidelines apply for residents living in viccinity of plants in US as were applied to current Japan neclear plants?


Japan's nuclear evacuees wonder if they'll ever see home again

More than 200,000 people have been ordered out of an area within a 12-mile radius of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, where two reactors have gone into partial meltdown.

LINK (http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2011/0313/Japan-s-nuclear-evacuees-wonder-if-they-ll-ever-see-home-again)

Japan's nuclear crisis turns spotlight on U.S. plants
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The safety of America's nuclear reactors is being questioned as Japanese engineers scramble to avert a total meltdown at two of that country's quake-stricken power plants.

Like in Japan, some of the 104 nuclear reactors in the United States are situated along the ocean -- some in earthquake-prone areas.

LINK (http://money.cnn.com/2011/03/13/news/economy/nuclear_power_plants/)


Congressman Markey's Letter to President Obama: Who's In Charge If Nuclear Disaster Hits America?
March 13, 2011 at 16:00

LINK (http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/news-and-blogs/campaign-blog/markey-to-obama-whos-in-charge-if-nuclear-dis/blog/33721)

[kahless]

You do not hear the test sirens? We have them here but they recently replaced them with ones you can hardly hear. I doubt we would get out in time if there was an accident since traffic is bad enough now without an accident.

The plant by me is also built right on a fault line. The spent fuel pool leaks and we have 25-50 gallons of irradiated water a day contaminating the ground water and the Hudson river since the 90s. The electrical union, the lobbiest are very powerful. So despite the aggregious behavior with accidents and environmental release they get away with it. They even have (or had, not sure if he is still doing it), Rudy Guiliani as thier PR person and consultant to try to shut people up.

These guys running the plant are total fuck ups.

Nuclear steam leak intentional: Response to Indian Point plant shutdown
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/01/08/2010-01-08_nuclear_steam_leak_intentional_response_to_indi an_point_plant_shutdown.html
BY ABBY LUBY 
DAILY NEWS WRITER
Friday, January 8th 2010, 4:00 AM

The recent shutdown at the Indian Point Nuclear power plant and release of contaminated steam into the atmosphere was intentional, the federal agency that oversees the nation's nuclear power plants insisted Thursday.

The steam went undetected for two days in November from Unit 2 at the Westchester-based nuke plant. NRC inspectors at Indian Point later learned that an estimated 600,000 gallons of boiling, radioactive water turned to steam and was released over the lower Hudson Valley.

[doodle]

Very good points, thanks for postig that.

What should be cause of concern is that Japan was one of the most prepared nation with regular monthly mandatory drills for kids and other programs for adults.

US public is tied up with Charlie Sheen's winning streak, Obama's bungling wars, airport gropings and economic issues. There is almost nill awareness among public at large about preparedness for such unforeseen contingecies.

[tangent4ronpaul]

evacuation zone in the US.....

http://www.msnpro.com/emoticons/cute-emoticons/roflmao.gif

[kahless]

Very good points, thanks for postig that.

What should be cause of concern is that Japan was one of the most prepared nation with regular monthly mandatory drills for kids and other programs for adults.

US public is tied up with Charlie Sheen's winning streak, Obama's bungling wars, airport gropings and economic issues. There is almost nill awareness among public at large about preparedness for such unforeseen contingecies.

Exactly. If people paid attention to what is going on at our facilities and were vocal I think it could help raise awarness hopefully resulting in the necessary changes to avoid an accident. It is good to see the CNN article you posted mentioning many of them built in earthquake prone areas here. Obvious from this disaster people do not get that we have built ours in these zones also.

I could not find the regulation on sirens so not sure if they do that everywhere. What I did find is FEMA designates two emergency planning zones.

http://www.ehow.com/list_6968890_government-power-plant-warning-systems.html
Federal and state regulations require nuclear power plant operators to warn residents, as well as government agencies, if an emergency occurs. Regulations specify several acceptable warning methods, and one common warning method includes a network of many sirens. Nuclear plant operators must provide residents with information updates about the warning system they select. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regulates nuclear plant warning systems.

http://www.fema.gov/hazard/nuclear/index.shtm
Local and state governments, federal agencies, and the electric utilities have emergency response plans in the event of a nuclear power plant incident. The plans define two “emergency planning zones.” One zone covers an area within a 10-mile radius of the plant, where it is possible that people could be harmed by direct radiation exposure. The second zone covers a broader area, usually up to a 50-mile radius from the plant, where radioactive materials could contaminate water supplies, food crops, and livestock.

[Keith and stuff]

You know if you live in a evacuation zone in the US because you are told about it. In Seabrook, NH, they send you a calendar with all of the important info on it. It is also well known to people if they live near a nuke plant. It's commonly talked about and so on.