Now, you get to know how radioactive your water and milk is once every quarter, like the good old pre-Fukushima times.
They don't even test fish. I'm sure they are so ready when the highly contaminated water from Fukushima reach California as early as next year.
From EPA's announcement on May 5, 2011 (emphasis is mine):
Last updated on Thursday, May 05, 2011 at 2:45:37 PM.
Due to the consistent decrease in radiation levels across the country associated with the Japanese nuclear incident, EPA will update the daily data summary page only when new data are posted. Historical daily data summaries will continue to be accessible from this webpage.
After a thorough data review showing declining radiation levels related to the Japanese nuclear incident, EPA has returned to the routine RadNet sampling and analysis process for precipitation, drinking water and milk.
As always, EPA's RadNet system of more than 100 stationary monitors will continue to provide EPA scientists near-real-time data on the slightest fluctuations in background radiation levels. Due to the consistently decreasing radiation levels, EPA is evaluating the need to continue operating the additional air monitors deployed in response to the Japan nuclear incident. EPA will continue to analyze air filters and cartridges from all air monitors as they arrive at the laboratory and will post the data as available.
In accordance with normal RadNet protocol, EPA will be analyzing milk and drinking water samples on a quarterly basis and precipitation samples as part of a monthly composite. The next round of milk and drinking water sampling will take place in approximately three months.
It is important to note that all of the radiation levels detected by RadNet monitors and sampling have been very low, are well below any level of public health concern, and continue to decrease over time. EPA continues to work with federal partners to monitor the situation in Japan and stands prepared to accelerate radiation sampling and analysis if the need arises. Data will continue to be available on EPA's public website.
This blog has a post about the RadNet monitoring in California, where EPA relies on volunteers to collect filters because it fits their lifestyle. And their "near real-time" data is probably 1 week turnaround time, as the filters get mailed to Alabama.
(One commenter to my blog, Robbie 001, says the RadNet was out of service during the initial plume. EPA's special radiation monitoring, sure enough, didn't start until March 17.)
Now, there's another US government agency that has gone very quiet on Fukushima I Nuke Plant accident: the NRC. What are they up to?
30-Day free trial by following the link.
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4 comments:
If one was a cynic or paranoid, a reasonable conclusion would be that the Japanese and US governments have twisted arms to get this story off front pages. The New York Times apologizes to no one, yet it did to Japan over the amusing
'Snow White' cartoon. Then the Economist ran a glowing report on Tepco's handling of the Fukushima disaster. I'm not overly concerned about significant radiation reaching the US ( as long as nothing goes very wrong) but the US government should sure as hell be monitoring it and I suspect they are but using military assets to do so as those can be classified and put beyond the reach of the public!
I wonder what Hillary Clinton talked about beyond closed doors when she made her recent visit.
Maybe something like, "if you agree not to call in all that US Treasury Bond money we owe you (in order to pay for the reconstruction). We will help make the pesky monitoring and the media coverage go away.."
Robbie001 sez:
This is why I've owned radiation detection devices for decades. I currently have two computer controlled Geiger counters that run 24/7 365 one monitors indoor the other outdoor ambient radiation levels. Unlike most Geiger counters mine are also sensitive to alpha and beta emissions. They also have the ability to quantify many radionuclide types using a decay curve program. I also have a small collection of portable Geiger counter and survey meters scintillation meters and pen dosimeters. I ended up with most of this stuff from an old consulting job.
http://www.blackcatsystems.com/GM/products/GM90GeigerCounter.html
RM-80
http://www.aw-el.com/index.htm
If you think I'm paranoid then you obviously have never heard about the very true story of the David Hahn better known as the "Radioactive Boyscout". Who knows how many of him are running around here is his story:
http://www.dangerouslaboratories.org/radscout.html
And that idiot is still at it you'd think the government would have locked him up but no, he was allowed to contaminate himself and who knows who else.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,292111,00.html
Quarterly radiation monitoring just goes to show how little officials care about terrorist using dirty "bomb" tactics in a post - 9/11 world. If terrorist wanted to poison the US population it is nice to know we won't detect it for months. If they just contaminated food without a big explosion we wouldn't know until well after the fact. Just another perfect time for official to say, "who could have known".
Robbie001 sez:
This lack of detection goes hand and hand with TEPCO's refusal to use proper high range detection equipment 2 months after the initial accident. They want to be able to claim Fukushima never exceeded 1000 mSv when all the dust clears. Just like none of the workers will ever be exposed to more than 250 mSv even though TEPCO didn't have dosimeters for a large segment of the first responders.
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