President Obama: Act now to prevent a second Fukushima disaster
May 10, 2012
The situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear site remains perilous. The area has been hit with hundreds of earthquakes since the March 11 Great Earthquake and Tsunami that led to the destruction of four reactors and caused release of massive amounts of radiation. The cooling system for all four damaged reactors is jerry-rigged, shaky, and prone to leaks. Of particular concern is the stability of the irradiated fuel pool at Unit 4, which alone contains about 10 times the amount of radioactive Cesium-137 as was released in the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
As Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) put it following his recent visit to Fukushima Daiichi, “The scope of damage to the plants and to the surrounding area was far beyond what I expected and the scope of the challenges to the utility owner, the government of Japan, and to the people of the region are daunting. The precarious status of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear units and the risk presented by the enormous inventory of radioactive materials and spent fuel in the event of further earthquake threats should be of concern to all and a focus of greater international support and assistance.”
Our colleagues in Japan are calling for immediate assistance from the United Nations and establishment of a Nuclear Safety Summit to address the Unit 4 issue. They are seeking support from organizations across the world. If you represent an organization, please provide your support here.
But the United States shouldn't wait for the UN to act--we should begin providing substantive assistance now. All individuals and organizations: Please sign the petition below and urge President Obama to act now and act forcefully to avert a second catastrophe at Fukushima.
Support from our international friends is very welcome. Please share this petition widely! Thank you for your actions.
Dear President Obama,
Please take action now to bring the technical capability, skilled personnel and financial resources necessary to the essential task of stabilizing the irradiated fuel pool at the Fukushima Daiichi Unit 4 reactor, which--as Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) reported following his recent trip to the site--is in a precarious state that could lead to potentially catastrophic consequences for Japan, neighboring countries, and even the United States.
We also ask you to support the effort of dozens of Japanese NGOs, supported by members of Japan's Parliament, seeking immediate United Nations assistance at the Fukushima Daiichi site, where four damaged reactors remain extremely vulnerable to continuing earthquakes and malfunction of a hastily rigged and shaky cooling system. Such assistance should include expedited establishment of a Nuclear Safety Summit to assess and coordinate international assistance to stabilize the Unit 4 fuel pool.
However, the U.S. need not wait for the UN to begin the process of providing expertise and resources to our friends in Japan. The U.S. has the capability to respond to this crisis immediately, to shore up the pool and to begin moving this fuel from the pool in 2012.
Prevention of the unfolding catastrophe at Fukushima is essential. Your leadership is absolutely critical. Please make the situation at Fukushima a top priority for your administration.
Please take action now to bring the technical capability, skilled personnel and financial resources necessary to the essential task of stabilizing the irradiated fuel pool at the Fukushima Daiichi Unit 4 reactor, which--as Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) reported following his recent trip to the site--is in a precarious state that could lead to potentially catastrophic consequences for Japan, neighboring countries, and even the United States.
We also ask you to support the effort of dozens of Japanese NGOs, supported by members of Japan's Parliament, seeking immediate United Nations assistance at the Fukushima Daiichi site, where four damaged reactors remain extremely vulnerable to continuing earthquakes and malfunction of a hastily rigged and shaky cooling system. Such assistance should include expedited establishment of a Nuclear Safety Summit to assess and coordinate international assistance to stabilize the Unit 4 fuel pool.
However, the U.S. need not wait for the UN to begin the process of providing expertise and resources to our friends in Japan. The U.S. has the capability to respond to this crisis immediately, to shore up the pool and to begin moving this fuel from the pool in 2012.
Prevention of the unfolding catastrophe at Fukushima is essential. Your leadership is absolutely critical. Please make the situation at Fukushima a top priority for your administration.
http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5502/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=10645
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