FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR PLANT CONTINUES CONTAMINATION

We haven't heard any news to speak of since the deadly earthquake and tsunami which set into motion the world's worst nuclear disaster over two years ago.  We are now hearing about the continued pumping of fresh water onto the contaminated plant which results in over 300 tons of radioactive contaminated water going into the ocean every day.  The plant has been leaking radiation ever since March, 2011, when the earthquake and tsunami knocked out its cooling systems and led three of four reactors to melt down. Since then, the plant's operators, have been unable to repair the walls and floor of the underground enclosures in which the reactors are situated because it’s still too dangerous for a human to work there for extended periods.  

The latest idea for stopping the flow of contaminated water into the sea is to freeze the soil around the reactor buildings to create a mile-long barrier to stop more groundwater from becoming radioactive, a plan that could cost upwards of $400 million.

I'm no engineer, but it seems to me that that if you are pumping water that is going back into the sea, and you prevent that by freezing the soil around the facility, the nuclear contaminated water still has to go someplace.  There are justified complaints that the plant operators are being too slow in coming to grips with the cleanup.  There is no word on how many people have actually died from radioactive poisoning over the years.  Recent tests of domestic water wells in the area show contamination hundreds of times above safe drinking levels. 

What we have here is a nuclear disaster that should have never occurred.  We know that training and safety procedures were not in place to deal with the probability of such an earthquake in the area and that the plant equipment did not respond automatically to shut the reactors down.  It appears that we have the operators in denial and a government incapable of dealing with the worsening situation.  

I believe that nuclear energy, properly installed and managed, is a safe method for manufacturing electrical energy at reasonable costs.  But, like any potentially dangerous undertaking, you have to have the proper training and systems in place in the event of something going wrong.  I am concerned about the effects of the contamination on the seas and ocean life in the area.  The world community needs to put high pressure on resolving this disaster at the earliest possible moment.  

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.