This month (March, 2012) at a rally commemorating the one year anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan a measurement of the radiation near the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station in northern San Diego County was taken by one of the Fukushima disaster survivors. The radiation levels found at the San Onofre State Beach that day were higher than acceptable levels in Japan.
Recently, the San Onofre Nuclear Plant experienced several malfunctions and potential radiation leaks. As typically seen from these facilities, the true levels of radiation present in the environment as a result of their malfunctions is not reported and is kept hidden from the public.
In fact, currently in San Diego County there is no accurate, up to the minute or even daily information available about the actual levels of radiation present in the environment in and around San Diego County.
A lack of accurate information combined with the secrecy with which nuclear plants typically operate, have created an environment where average citizens do not trust the government to be honest and transparent about radiation levels. Independent radiation monitoring by citizens therefore, serves a valuable role in society.
The process of cooling water for example, sounds simple, but is critical to safe operation of a nuclear plant. When there is a failure in the process, as we have seen at several nuclear plants throughout the world, it can start a chain reaction of dangerous events potentially leading to a full meltdown. If we as a society are going to maintain nuclear power as a source of energy, we must learn from the Fukushima disaster and employ those lessons in making our plants safer or in certain cases, justifying closures.
The mission of the San Diego County Radiation Network is to bring to the citizens of San Diego an accurate, unbiased, daily, report on radiation levels from the most southern part the county near the Mexican border, all the way to Oceanside and especially areas surrounding the San Onofre Nuclear Plant.
The project will include daily readings and recording of Alpha, Beta, Gamma and X-ray levels of radiation found in the environment which will then be instantly recorded online and available for the entire community to see and monitor.
In order to get the project off the ground, I need your help!
