Georgia WAND speaks up about the events unfolding in Japan

As WAND watches the devastating news of events in Japan and reflect upon concerns about nuclear power in the United States, we recommend this information from our friends at Georgia WAND.

The letter below was distributed earlier this week by Georgia WAND's Executive Director Bobbie Paul and President of the Board Bernita Smith.

"As details continue to unfold about the tragedy in northeast Japan we are deeply concerned about the compromised nuclear reactors and radiation exposures that are causing death or serious illness to those working on the reactors and to those living near-by. The latest accounts Monday report that Fukushima No. 2 reactor is in danger of a melt down because its fuel rods were fully exposed at one point after standard cooling functions failed.  It is feared that an explosion in the No. 2 reactor similar to those in the No. 1 and 3 reactors at Fukushima is imminent.

There are an estimated 1.4 million people without water or power in Japan and hundreds of casualties. Over 185,000 residents have been evacuated from the area. Japanese officials are dispensing potassium iodide pills to evacuation centers in an attempt to protect people’s thyroid gland from radioactive iodine-131 that was released into the atmosphere.

Georgia WAND hopes that a growing renewable energy sector will soon make nuclear power generation obsolete. We ask all those who support nuclear power expansion and the federal loans needed to prop it up - whether here or in other parts of the world - to rethink their position and consider how nuclear power threatens the safety and health of those who live directly downwind and downstream of nuclear power plants. By combining intelligence with imagination we can face "unthinkable" scenarios and turn towards much less risky energy solutions.  Our commitment to environmental justice demands that we continue to take action for those who suffer this kind of nuclear terrorism.

One action we suggest is to send President Obama a message asking him to end federal support for nuclear power expansion in this country. Your opinion matters. www.whitehouse.gov Urge the President to eliminate costly government bailouts in the form of loan guarantees to the nuclear industry including the $8.3 billion his administration awarded to Southern Company/Georgia Power for two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle in Burke, County, Georgia.  Thank you.

Here is a link to a report from the BBC, dated March 13, about the reactor situation. Be sure to scroll all the way down to see photos and film footage.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12726628.

Sincerely,

-Bobbie Paul, Executive Director

-Bernita Smith, President of the Board

FYI - The Fukushima Daiichi Unit 1 reactor that exploded on Saturday, March 12, 2011, was a General Electric Mark I reactor. It is the same model used for both reactors at Plant Hatch, located on the Altamaha River in SE Georgia. These reactors came online in 1975 and 1979."

To read more from Georgia WAND, please visit www.georgiawand.org