WIPP update - 03/20.2014

Nuclear Hotseat #143: WIPP Update #4 w/Don Hancock + New Food Safety Feature

http://www.nuclearhotseat.com/1837/

INTERVIEW: 

Don Hancock of Southwest Research and Information Center again fills us in on the latest developments at the Waste Isolation Pilot Project (WIPP) in Carlsbad New Mexico following the Valentine’s Day radiation leak.  What exactly happened, how much leaked, how far has it traveled in which direction, what are the radiation levels — we run it all by Don and get as many anaswers as are possible.

Listen to the podcast HERE

Second radiation release won't impact cleanup plans for WIPP

Current Argus,

19 March, 2014

CARLSBAD >> Despite a second radiation release reported by the Department of Energy on Tuesday, the incident is not expected to alter any cleanup and recovery plans underground at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, 26 miles east of Carlsbad, according to officials.

Samples collected from the ventilation in the exhaust shaft showed americium had escaped the shaft on March 11 but the agency does not expect any adverse health effects from the incident.

"To this point, we have no indication of any contamination making its way off site," the DOE said in a news release Tuesday.

The incident is believed to have been caused from a buildup of radioactive particles that eventually escaped the duct much like smoke from a chimney, and officials anticipate more residual releases until the original source of last month's radiation leak can be fixed.

"Small amounts (of radioactive particles) are escaping everyday and we're going to see those spikes every once in a while," said Donavan Mager, spokesman for the Nuclear Waste Partnership. "It's so small that it's going to disperse quickly. Everything is working the way we expect it to and as it was designed, otherwise you wouldn't see any (particles escaping) if the leak was contained."

The NWP recently sent a robot underground to inspect the mine and hopes to send the first human investigators below ground by the end of next week. WIPP officials said Wednesday they plan to test the mine's HEPA filters to ensure they're working as expected.

The second release was reported at an amount of 61 disintegrations per minute of americium, or less than 1 millirem of exposure according to the DOE. Millirems measure the amount of human exposure to radioactive particles and disintegrations per minute measures the amount of radioactive contamination from alpha and beta rays in an area.

On average, Americans receive a dose of 620 millirem per year, or roughly 1.7 per day, according to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, a federal oversight commission that develops policies and regulation to govern nuclear activities.

The DOE also reported that 20 additional employees had urine samples test negative for plutonium and americium on Tuesday. Additionally, full-body testing is continuing for many WIPP employees at the urging of the United Steel Workers Union, which oversees many of the on-site personnel.

DOE and NWP officials will provide another public update at the weekly Carlsbad town hall meeting on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in the city council chambers on 101 N. Halagueno Street.

DOE Carlsbad Field Office Manager Jose Franco and newly-appointed NWP president Bob McQuinn were not made available for comment on the situation.

Reporter Zack Ponce can be reached at (575) 689-7402

This is probably Turner news hyperbole, but am posting it anyhow

BE READY TO EVACUATE

Current Argus,

19 March, 2014

UPDATED March 18, 2014 (At Bottom) Due to an ongoing release of radioactive material from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) outside of Carlsbad, New Mexico, citizens in the area shown below should be prepared to EVACUATE at a moments notice.

On or about February 14, 2014, a widely publicized incident took place in the underground nuclear waste storage facility in Carlsbad, NM.  Despite the federal government initially assuring everyone "there was no release" of radioactive materials, it turned out that a massive cloud of 10,000 cubic meters of plutonium-contaminated air was vented from underground, resulting in 330 MILLION units of radiation being released into the air.  The federal government knew this on the day it took place but did not tell the public the true extent of the radiation release.  Even local and state officials were kept in the dark.

The DOE apparently DID tell someone they cared about, the Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, which quietly placed a sole-source order for 1,200 radiation particle suits, to be sent immediately to that air force base.  While the DOE may not have been telling anyone at the state or local level how dangerous the radiation leak is, its clear they told their fellow federal government people, and now, the military is making certain its people will be protected.  Is anyone making sure YOU will be protected?

At a community meeting which took place on Monday of this week, officials from the DOE acknowledged there was, in fact, a massive release of radiation, but no one had to worry because it was long gone by that time.  (Or, to put it in Layman's terms, if you already breathed it in, you're already cooking inside and the likelihood you'll get cancer is a foregone conclusion.  What they're banking on is that you won't get sick for maybe 5 or 10 more years and once it happens, you won't remember to blame it on them - or be able to prove it!)

LEAK CONTINUES, MASSIVE EXPLOSION IS REAL POSSIBILITY

Most troubling about the situation is that federal officials also acknowledge the leak of radiation is ongoing.  Between 6,000 and 7,000 units of radiation are escaping from the plant every minute since the incident first took place.  These units of radiation are known as Becquerels.

Since radiation levels underground remain incredibly high, no one from the DOE is able to physically go into the spill area and see what spilled, how much spilled, or begin any kind of clean-up effort.  In fact, this situation may get very much worse.

Since the WIPP stores a wide variety of radioactive materials and other things like rags, tools and such that are also contaminated with radiation, there is a very real possibility that, through a process known as "Radiolysis" the leaking radiation will cause an unanticipated breakdown of the other nearby materials.  Therefore,  a very real possibility exists that once those materials breakdown and mix together, they will spontaneously combust in a massive explosion.

Should this take place, citizens within 100 miles of the WIPP in Carlsbad, NM should immediately evacuate to upwind of the fallout.  The map above shows a 100 mile radius around Carlsbad, NM.  The evacuation area includes parts of west Texas.

Depending upon which way the wind is blowing at the time of any explosion, the evacuation area may have to be much farther.

Citizens who reside in the area should obtain emergency filtration masks rated by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) as rating "P-100" to protect themselves if forced to evacuate.  If there is an explosion, radiation particles will be in the air and only a P-100 rated filter mask will keep them out.  Please note that the P-100 is very different from the kind of masks used by Doctors in hospital operating rooms.  It is important you understand that the masks used by Doctors are utterly worthless because they cannot protect from radiation particles.  The P-100 mask can protect against radiation particles.

Here are some suggestions for a Bug-Out" bag in case you have to evacuate fast:

It should have enough personal items to tie-you-over in case you have to make an emergency evacuation to somewhere else for awhile. These bags should be PRE-PACKED; don't simply make a list then try to go pack when the crap hits the fan. You want this bug-out bag packed and ready to go because if the crap hits the fan, minutes matter. You want to grab the bag and go -- it takes only seconds and could save your life.

• Clothes (Underwear, Socks, Shirts, Pants, Belts, shoes and outerwear that is appropriate for the season)
• Extra eye glasses or contact lenses
• Medicine (If you take something for chronic care, make sure you have a supply to get you through until you get settled elsewhere)
• Toiletries (Soap, Shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, Floss, mouthwash, deodorant, nail clipper, comb or brush, TOILET PAPER!)
• Over-the-counter Health aids like Aspirin/Tylenol/Advil or Aleve, cough medicine, allergy medicine, hydrocortizone creme, HEARTBURN relief, baby powder, etc.
• RADIATION-RELATED PRODUCT: 30 or 60mg Potassium Iodate pills - to be taken ONLY when actually exposed to radiation; protects thyroid.
• Sanitation (A single plastic bag to use for trash or waste as needed)
• Canned and dry foods (Just enough to tie-you-over for 3 - 5 days it may take to get somewhere else, don't forget a CAN OPENER.)
• Water or portable personal water filter (You can go weeks without food, but only 3 to 5 days without water.)
• CASH - Just enough to make-do until you can get squared away.
• A NIOSH-Certified Filter mask rated at P-100. These are re-usable masks that filter 99.97% of all particles.
• Swimming goggles - as temporary eye protection from radiation particles while traveling. Cheap, fast, washable, reusable.
• Flashlight
• Portable radio

Put the Bug-Out bag in the bedroom of each family member and teach them that THEY and THEY ALONE are responsible for bringing it with the family if it is time to Bug-out.

Your car

• Get a CB radio + antenna for the car. Have it in the car so you can hear what's going on from truckers and other motorists nearby. It's a LOT better than a cellphone or local traffic radio for live information and can tell you what's ahead if you have to detour.
• Have a gas can in the trunk - if permitted by local laws. A small 2, 3 or even 5 gallon can get you another 20, 30, 50 miles and save your life.
• NEVER allow your car to go below half a tank of gasoline. NEVER! Not even once. If you have to bug-out fast, everyone else will too. The gas stations might all be closed because they already evacuated! Moreover, there won't be time to stop for gas - or sit in a long gas line waiting and hoping the gas station doesn't run out. (We all saw how that worked out in hurricanes like Katrina where people were fighting - even shooting each other - for gasoline. You don't want any part of that. The farther you get away from the danger, the more options you'll have to get fuel later.)
• Bear in mind your car will accumulate radiation on the seats, and floors from you getting in and out regularly. It will also accumulate radiation in the A/C and heating vents which bring in outside air. You'll have to meticulously clean those areas once in awhile to get rid of any build-up and REPLACE the A/C air filter once in awhile

UPDATE MARCH 18, 2014

The Turner Radio Network has been made aware of television coverage of the story above by "NewsWest 9" in west Texas which aired on March 17.  The video of that story is embedded below.  We believe a response to the TV story is necessary since our story above has been viewed more than 277,000 times since it was first published on February 26.

1) NOWHERE in our story above do we tell anyone to "evacuate" due to the radiation leaks from the WIPP plant in New Mexico.  As you can see from the TV video itself (which shows our web site), our Headline simply advised folks to "Be Ready" and later in our article we told folks to "PREPARE."

We aren't certain how much clearer one can be than using plain, common English language words, but apparently some illiterates or others with poor reading comprehension, didn't see the big bold black letters in the word "PREPARE."

2)  The United States government has a proven track record of deliberately concealing information about radiation dangers and severe radiation leaks as they demonstrated during the Fukushima, Japan nuclear meltdowns in the year 2011.  Within a week of those meltdowns, DEADLY radiation levels in the air has drifted across the Pacific Ocean from Japan to the United States and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency deliberately concealed the information.

3) After the radiation levels from Japan struck the United States, that same Environmental Protection AgencyCHANGED THE "SAFE" LIMITS so that levels of radiation which were previously labelled "unsafe" suddenly were re-labelled as "safe" overnight.  These actions prove the EPA is completely untrustworthy and engages in willful deception.  In light of these facts, we chose to alert the public to be ready.  Nothing more, nothing less.

4) According to KQRE-TV "News 13" in New Mexico,  federal officials admitted they "failed to notify" New Mexico state officials about the radiation emergency at WIPP for DAYS.   Failed to notify is double-talk for "withheld."   The government even admitted they failed to tell state officials when the KQRE-TV story reports “That should have never happened. They should have been notified immediately and DOE, the Carlsbad office manager, has that responsibility and we’ll make sure that does not happen again,” said Joe Franco, manager of the DOE Carlsbad office."   The story with those quotes is HERE.

5)  Not only did federal and WIPP officials withhold information from local and state officials, when the feds finally started telling anyone, they LIED!  Yes, the federal government has already been caught LYING about the WIPP plant incident.  On February 16, 2014, just days into the event,  the Albuquerque Journal reported the following:  "CARLSBAD – Officials checking the presence of airborne radiation at an underground site in southeastern New Mexico where the U.S. government seals away low-grade nuclear waste say surface tests have detected no contamination."  The lie can still be viewed on the Albuquerque Journal Web Site, HERE.

On that same day, another official from the federal government got caught in yet another bold-faced lie.  According to the television network RT, US Department of Energy spokesman Roger Nelson stated bluntly "None of the employees tested positive for radioactive contamination,. . ."  and later stated bluntly "Surface samples show no sign of radiation,. . ."  Both those statements were flat-out LIES and both can be read on the RT web site HERE.

Proof of the lies was published in the Albuquerque Journal just days later, on February 20 when the newspaper reported "An independent analysis has uncovered trace amounts of plutonium in an air sensor a half mile from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant in southeastern New Mexico — the first time plutonium is believed to have leaked outside from within the facility.

It also was the highest levels of plutonium ever detected near the nuclear waste storage facility in its 15 years of operation . . ." That story can be read HERE.

Here we are, weeks after our story ran, and now some tiny little TV station has the unmitigated gall to claim OUR reports are inaccurate?  The real problem is not that we're inaccurate, the real problem  is that we are VERY ACCURATE!

With this UPDATE, we've just provided PROOF that we're accurate and the government has been lying and concealing.   Maybe that's why, according to the ALEXA internet traffic service, Turner Radio Network's web site is almost FOUR TIMES LARGER in US visitors and more than SEVEN TIMES LARGER worldwide than NewsWest9's web site;  we earned our visitors by being accurate.

Maybe if the NewsWest9 people had done any research, they could have challenged officials about official claims instead of merely repeating what the officials wanted said.  That's the difference between a "talking head" and a real news reporter.  Apparently NewsWest9 prefers talking heads.

It is our view that the NewsWest9 story is a blatant effort by the government to cover up the lies they've already been caught telling and to downplay what's going on at the WIPP facility.  In the meantime, we'll keep reporting the truth to the people being dosed with radiation in New Mexico!

The facts laid out in our story above are based on the government's own admissions at their own "Town Meetings" about how much radiation was released and what type of radioactive materials got into the air.  Based upon those admissions, we RECOMMENDED people "be prepared" to evacuate and suggested some simple plans they may wish to take in order to actually BE prepared.

Given the concealing of radiation danger which hit the USA from Japan in 2011, and given the admission by the federal government that they intentionally kept New Mexico officials in the dark about the trouble at the WIPP plant, we chose to take action and alert the public to the very real dangers they may face.  We make no apology whatsoever for our coverage or suggestions to prepare and we stand-by our story.

Below is the video from the west Texas TV station that conveniently omits any reference to our words "BE PREPARED."  We believe this is a deliberate act of omission by the media in an effort to "sell" the government story to the public.  In our view, the story by NewsWest 9 is .  deliberately inaccurate, irresponsible and a product of journalistic laziness.

You folks in New Mexico and Texas have two choices: Believe the people who have already been caught lying,  or believe us -- and PREPARE -- in case things get worse at WIPP.

KWES NewsWest 9 / Midland, Odessa, Big Spring, TX: newswest9.com |

01:31 PM EST on March 20th, 2014 | 159 comments

Official: Radioactive material escaping everyday from WIPP and dispersing — Top officials “not made available for comment” — Expert: Leaks from ‘unfiltered’ ducts went on for weeks

02:33 PM EST on March 19th, 2014 | 150 comments

WIPP officials admit new release of Plutonium and Americium — More expected in future — Nearly double levels seen after February leak — 61 DPM on March 11 vs. 36 DPM in February

New Mexico Nuclear Waste Dump Site Experiences Second Release Of Radiation

Fukushima Lessons For New Mexico Carlsbad Residents