Press Release on Nuclear Regulatory Commission Rubber Stamping Sham of Army over Pohakuloa Depleted Uranium Contamination
Press Release Feb. 10, 2017
Re: Press Release on Nuclear Regulatory Commission Rubber Stamping Sham of Army over Pohakuloa Depleted Uranium Contamination
Further contact: Jim Albertini 966-7622
Malu ‘Aina Center For Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box 489 Ola’a (Kurtistown) Hawai’i 96760 Phone 808-966-7622 Email ja@malu-aina.org www.malu-aina.org
Jim Albertini of Malu ‘Aina said: “On Feb. 9, 2017 the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved the Army’s Environmental Monitoring Plan for DU bases in the U.S. including Hawaii. That means that for PTA, only one sample of sediment needs to be collected and the site is a bit West of PTA and includes probable drainage from thousands of acres not part of the radiation impact areas. In short, the NRC approval is a sham. Comprehensive Independent testing and monitoring needs to be done to determine the full extent of radiation contamination at Pohakuloa and other sites in Hawaii with a special emphasis on air monitoring. What the NRC approved is terrible science, it does nothing to determine if DU has migrated off PTA, and the NRC knows it. We need our elected officials to step up and demand what the Hawaii County Council approved way back on July 2, 2008 in Resolution 639-08 by a vote of 8-1 and that is stop all live-fire at Pohakuloa, do comprehensive independent testing and monitoring, and clean up the DU present. The U.S. military has been ignoring this important call for too long.”
Dr. Lorrin Pang, MD has said that inhaled DU oxide particles are the most deadly form of radiation.
Native Hawaiian leader Isaac “Paka” Harp said: “The United States (U.S.) Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) recent approval of the site-specific Environmental Radiation Monitoring Plans for Depleted Uranium (DU) at U.S. military occupied sites in the Hawaiian Kingdom (Pohakuloa and Schofield), and a multitude of military installations in the U.S., is a clear indication that the NRC views the people of Hawaii and the U.S. as ignorant, gullible, and disposable.
Local and international health experts warn of the grave dangers of inhalation of microscopic particles of DU, which can be liberated from ground to air by live fire training, vehicular training activity, windy conditions, fire, etc. U.S. Army troops training videos of decades ago warned of the same dangers. Even the former director of the U.S. Army’s Depleted Uranium Project, Major Doug Rokke warns of the dangers today.
Considering warnings of known dangers by local and international health experts, and even the Army itself, the recent approval of a do nothing plan by the NRC makes it crystal clear that the NRC cares not for human health or the health of the planet. Apparently, the NRC has a directive to support the US Military Industrial Complex regardless of the cost to humanity or the planet.
It is well known that many millions of people from many nations across the planet feel a deep repugnance for the U.S. Could it be because the U.S. is murdering them too? The U.S. should consider this analogy as a possibility for their future — When you back an animal into a corner its only recourse is to attack.”
Isaac “Paka” Harp
(808) 756-7379
Retired Kona Nuclear geologist, Mike Reimer, PhD. said “From my experience with sampling geologic materials, there is a zero chance of finding any DU (with the NRC approved plan). In effect, the sampling site is selected to dilute by thousands any DU found; it will be masked by the natural uranium present. And sediment sampling is not the medium of concern to determining if DU is blasted off PTA. Air sampling is the important vector of mobility.”
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See NRC decision here:
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Issues Amendment 2 – Source Material License No. SUC-1593, Davy Crockett Depleted Uranium and Opportunity for Request for Hearing Or Petition for Leave to Intervene
Aloha,
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued Amendment 2 to Source Materials License SUC-1593, Davy Crockett Depleted Uranium today. This action includes the sites located on the Big Island and the Island of Oahu.
The NRC approved the site-specific Environmental Radiation Monitoring Plans (ERMPs) and amended the license to incorporate the site-specific ERMPs; modified the license to incorporate the September 15, 2016 Programmatic ERMP; modified License Condition 18 to state that within 6 months from the effective date of License Amendment 2, the Army shall fully implement each installation’s site-specific ERMPs; and deleted License Condition 19 from the license.
For further details with respect to this action, please see the:
- Army’s submittal, found in the Agencywide Documents Access and Management System (ADAMS) Accession No. ML16265A221
- The NRC staff’s safety evaluation report, found at ADAMS Accession No. 16343A163 (pdf version attached)
- License Amendment 2, ADAMS Accession is found at No. 16343A164 (pdf version attached)
This NRC action is noticed in today’s (February 9, 2017) Federal Register. The Federal Register notice includes a 60 day opportunity for a request for a hearing or petition for leave to intervene. I have attached a pdf version of the Federal Register notice (filed called 2017-02678.pdf).
If you have any questions, please contact me.
Mahalo,
Amy
Amy Snyder, Senior Project Manager
Materials Decommissioning Branch (MDB)
Division of Decommissioning, Uranium Recovery, and Waste Programs (DUWP)
Office of Nuclear Material Safety and Safeguards (NMSS)
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Washington, D.C. 20555
( Office: (301) 415-6822
7 Fax: (301) 415-5369
– Mail Stop: T8-F5M
- Location: T8-E06B
8 E-mail: amy.snyder@nrc.gov
