Senator Diane Feinstein wrote me a letter today. I just discovered it, glanced at it now, it is in response to my letter prompted by numerous reports of the Fukushima reactor being in a extremely precarious state. I am sure she sent this letter out to many people and even though my letter was (approx.) three months ago It's nice that she finally responded.
I'll have the full letter at the bottom. The letter triggers thoughts even without reading the full contents yet. My thoughts on sending the letters, 3, one to Congressperson Woolsey one to Senator Boxer one to Senator Feinstein. I felt as if there was a wall between myself and our elected officials maybe it was just their website design. Read all about their accomplishments here... Impressive. oh you want to write a letter sure pick a category... Hmmm? Impending Nuclear Disaster, that category was not available. Anyways I should never be the one to judge someone for being a little late with communication, thanks to Senator Feinstein and her staff. Though on the other hand it's your job to be the people's representative and you get paid healthily for that honor. I am sitting in the San Rafael Library (1 hour) I have already used up 27 minutes.
I think about the Marin Community or the Eugene Community or the Facebook Community the American Community and I wonder do we need to elect representatives from our Community to represent our needs and desires and questions to deal with our elected Representatives? I've thought of this on and off I've thought of a flat out alternative Congress, a mirror so that the real Congress can get a sense of what the Real People really want. A congress chosen in open conventions all across the country where everybody sits down in a two or three day event and we meet and hang out and keep rubbing elbows and by the end of the event we keep nudging our best people forward and we vote and voila. Of course we have a great music in the evenings and that can give you an idea of what kind of Party we might form.
On a simpler level I was thinking how maybe we could use someone to volunteer to harness our letters and our intentions. It's one thing to get really upset about something but really hard to lock in and diligently follow through. I guess this is on all of our minds how do we come together and speak as one. We all have our ideas and our unique points of view.
It was back on another depressing Earth Day a couple of months ago where I was doing absolutely nothing special for the Earth at all (I can't honestly remember - maybe I drove cab) But one good thing happened that day as I walked down B Street in San Rafael. I stopped to say hello to the fellow with the big white beard who runs the Tamalpais Furniture shop that features furniture made from recycled wood. The man makes his feelings known about the Earth and I think we were both a bit sad. We looked at the broad perspective of our civilization and he made these observations. That the reason we can't make a change is we are all caught up in 'survival', paying for the house, the kids, everyone's stuck. He called it our baggage everyone is carrying baggage he said, I thought of it on the political realm to as to what we've inherited. What our parents taught us. What we have instilled in ourselves, our political perspective I think the point the was making there was we carry this weight, maybe it's just my point because my memory is not good enough to tell you what someone else said... Finding a way to do something for our Earth it's harmed by our insistence in looking for the point of who to blame. Somehow we must find the faith to take it slower.
Here is Senator Feinstein's letter to me: Dear Guy:
Thank you for contacting me with you concerns regarding the nuclear crisis in Japan. I am following this matter extremely closely, and please be assured that I will do all I can to ensure that the United States provides assistance to the Japanese in repairing the damage to their nuclear facilities.
As you know, the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011 caused a systemic failure at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station. The tsunami knocked out backup power systems that were needed to cool the reactors at the plant, causing several of them to undergo fuel melting, hydrogen explosions, and radioactive releases. Japan requested assistance from the United States several days after the earthquake and tsunami.
Please know that the United States and other countries have provided, and continue to offer, advice and equipment to the Japanese to deal with the nuclear crisis. Both the Department of Energy and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) sent advisory teams and equipment to Japan during the immediate aftermath of the disaster at the request of the Japanese government. The U.S. Department of Defense provided high-pressure water pumps and fire trucks to cool the reactors and contain the damage, as well as the use of Global Hawk surveillance drones and evacuation and medical support. Additionally, the United States military provided more than 2 million gallons of water, 189 tons of food, 11,960 gallons of fuel, and 100 tons of relief supplies.
Like you, I remain concerned that the buildings and spent fuel at Fukushima, especially the fuel housed within the damaged Unit 4 reactor building, may pose a safety risk. On April 26, 2012, I wrote the attached letter calling on then-Chairman Gregory Jaczko of the NRC to assess the current conditions of the Fukushima nuclear facility and prescribe steps that would enhance ongoing stabilization efforts.
In response to my letter, the NRC has assured me that the facility owner, Tokyo Electric Power Company, has taken the necessary steps, including the installation of steel and concrete reinforcement, to ensure that the Unit 4 reactor building is structurally sound and capable of withstanding future seismic events. According to the NRC, the current instrumentation in Unit 4 is fully functional, effectively monitoring water levels, and alerting operators to any abnormal conditions in the spent fuel pool. As recovery efforts continue in Japan, I will continue to closely monitor NRC's assessment of the Fukushima site and ensure that NRC implements necessary safety improvements in the United States.
As Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, which oversees the NRC, I am working to ensure that our nation's nuclear industry and regulators learn all that can be learned from this disaster. Please be assured that I am committed to making nuclear power facilities in the United States as safe as possible.
Once again, thank you for writing. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841, or visit my website at www.feinstein.senate.gov. Best regards.
Following is the text of the letter sent by Senator Feinstein to Gregory Jaczko, Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission:
April 26, 2012
The Honorable Gregory Jaczko
Chairman
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, DC 20555
Dear Chairman Jaczko:
I am writing to request your assessment of the current conditions at the Fukushima Daiichi site. The buildings damaged in the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami are still performing critical safety functions, and I am concerned these buildings may not have the structural integrity to withstand future natural disasters. While I appreciate that Japanese regulators and industry are making herculean efforts to address safety risks, I believe it would be helpful for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to validate that the most prudent actions are being taken.
The Fukushima reactor spent fuel pools are located about 60 feet above ground. Further building damage due to ongoing seismic activity could potentially breach the spent fuel pools, prevent the adequate cooling of the spent fuel, and create a more dangerous situation.
The unit 4 reactor was shut down for refueling just before the earthquake and tsunami, and extremely hot nuclear fuel had recently been moved into the unit 4 spent fuel pool. As a result, the contents of this pool are more radioactive and produce more thermal heat than the other Fukushima spent fuel pools. The unit 4 building hosting this pool was damaged by the earthquake and tsunami, and a subsequent hydrogen explosion destroyed the roof and sections of several walls.
I am particularly concerned that damage caused by the earthquake, tsunami, and hydrogen explosion could threaten efforts to quickly and safely unload the unit 4 spent fuel pool. I understand that Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has recognized this risk and plans to begin removing the contents of the spent fuel pools after performing additional work to reduce site contamination. I am aware that TEPCO's inspection of the unit 4 reactor building determined that structural reinforcements were not needed, but extra building supports were added as a precautionary measure. I also understand that although TEPCO determined that no significant damage occurred to the unit 4 spent fuel pool or the nuclear fuel, some building debris has fallen into the pool, which could complicate future efforts to remove fuel.
Japanese leaders face unprecedented circumstances at the Fukushima site. They have utilized their substantial expertise to address many safety concerns to date, but the situation is so uncertain that I feel the NRC's independent assessment of conditions at unit 4 would be beneficial. I would greatly appreciate it if you could describe your evaluation of the structural integrity of the damaged unit 4 building, the need for additional structural reinforcement, and the ability of the building to withstand future natural disasters. Regarding the unit 4 spent fuel pool, please assess the adequacy of the cooling system and water level monitoring equipment, and evaluate whether the unit 4 spent fuel pool could be unloaded sooner than the current timeline. Lastly, please describe any steps you would offer for consideration that could enhance ongoing efforts to stabilize the Fukushima Daiichi site.
I am pleased that NRC and Japanese officials have developed a cooperative working relationship. I thank you for your efforts to monitor and assist our Japanese friends in the wake of these tragic events, and I look forward to hearing from you regarding this important request. I believe that the NRC's technical expertise provides a valuable resource for this precarious situation. Let me know if I can provide assistance in obtaining additional information you might need to respond to this request. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me in my Washington office.
Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator
