Evidence mounts that Fukushima Daiichi Unit 1 was doomed by earthquake damage to melt down even before tsunami hit

The Independent of the U.K., in an article entitled "The Explosive Truth Behind Fukushima's Meltdown," has reported mounting evidence indicating that earthquake damage in Daiichi Unit 1 was so severe that it was doomed to melt down even before the massive inundation from the tsunami knocked out emergency diesel generators, cutting off electricity to run vital cooling water pumps. The article reports: 

"This means that assurances from the industry in Japan and overseas that the reactors were robust is now blown apart," said Shaun Burnie, an independent nuclear waste consultant who works with Greenpeace. "It raises fundamental questions on all reactors in high seismic risk areas."

As Mr Burnie points out, Tepco also admitted massive fuel melt 16 hours after loss of coolant, and seven or eight hours before the explosion in Unit One. "Since they must have known all this, their decision to flood with massive water volumes would guarantee massive additional contamination – including leaks to the ocean."

Has the radioactive core at Fukushima left the building?

RT is reporting that workers at the Fukushima plants have seen radioactive steam emerging from cracked ground around the buildings. Such observations suggest that the core has melted through the floor of the building into the ground - a "China Syndrome." Dr. Robert Jacobs, Hiroshima Peace Institute calls for the reactors to be closed down.

WSJ: "Murky Science Clouded Japan Nuclear Response"

The Wall Street Journal, in an article entitled "Murky Science Clouded Japan Nuclear Response," has reported that the villagers of Iitate, just 17 miles downwind of the radiation-spewing Fukushima Daiichi triple meltdown, were left in the dark, without warning from the Japanese government, regarding dangerously high levels of radioactive contamination that had blown onto their home and fallen out with snow beginning just four days after the accident began, on March 15th. The evacuation order was not given until April 22nd, nearly six weeks into the nuclear catastrophe.

44 year old Palisades reactor suffers yet another safety-significant breakdown

Graphic provided by Dave Lochbaum of UCS showing that age-degraded atomic reactors are at increased risk of accidents.The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has deployed a "Special Inspection" team to investigate the failure of an emergency service water pump at the Palisades nuclear power plant in Covert, Michigan on the Lake Michigan shore. The service water pump is essential for cooling the atomic reactor core during an emergency. The failure seems to be a repeat of a 2009 incident, risking the potential for a simultaneous failure of all three emergency service water pumps at the reactor. Beyond Nuclear has issued a media release, calling for Palisades' shut down in order to prevent its melt down.

Calls to Action from VT No Nukes groups to shut down Vermont Yankee

Cooling tower collapse in 2007 resulting from a 20% power uprate at the aged, decrepit Vermont Yankee atomic reactorThe Vermont Yankee Decommissioning Alliance, Citizens Awareness Network, Shut It Down Affinity Group, and Safe and Green Campaign have issued the following call to action:

"Greetings Friends - We're pleased to be holding a CLOSE IT DOWN! ACTION CAMP at Wheelock Mountain Farm  on the evening of Friday, Sept. 9th and all day Saturday Sept. 10th.

The focus of the Action Camp will be to develop and prepare a response to any effort to keep Vermont Yankee operating beyond the end of it's Vermont license in March of next year.

You are all invited to help strategize, organize and realize a campaign to ensure that Vermont's democratic process, it's laws and the people's will be respected.  I've attached a poster for distribution, and would very much appreciate your help in getting these up and the word out.

Below is a portion of a Call To Action by members of the Vermont Yankee Decommissioning Alliance, the Citizen's Awareness Network, the Shut it Down Affinity Group and the Safe and Green Campaign co-sponsors the Action Camp. Please let me know how you'd like to be involved.

Many Thanks,
Robin Cappuccino
Wheelock Mountain Farm
Greensboro Bend, VT
member of the Vermont Yankee Decommissioning Alliance

We, the people, cannot allow a mega-corporation like Entergy to subvert democracy and continue irradiating our region while adding to the tons of high level nuclear waste stored high above the banks of the Connecticut River. The people of this region - by means of petitions, letters, public hearings as well as demonstrations, and votes by the Vermont legislature and annual town meetings - have long and repeatedly expressed their will to close Vermont Yankee and replace its power with safe, renewable alternatives.

Many nations - including Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and Japan - are taking action to halt the continued use of nuclear power. Vermont has done the same.
 
Entergy is determined to keep the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant operating. In a last ditch effort, Entergy is suing in federal court to prevent the sovereign will of Vermont from prevailing in the shutdown of Vermont Yankee.  If the courts rule against Vermont or if Entergy defies Vermont law we must take action for the sake of our lives, democracy, future generations, and the environment. 
 
PLEASE JOIN US! In a People's Campaign to Close Vermont Yankee." The coalition also put out a poster.

Update on August 15, 2011 by admin

A second -- and earlier -- call to action has also been announced, for an organizational meeting in Norwich, VT on August 28th:

A CALL TO JOIN THE ORGANIZING OF A REGIONAL CAMPAIGN OF NONVIOLENT DIRECT ACTION TO SHUT DOWN VERMONT YANKEE, Sunday, August 28, 2011, 11:30 am - 5:30 pm, Norwich, VT. A People's Campaign to Close Vermont Yankee. Signed by: Randy Kehler, Bob Bady, Nancy Braus for Safe and Green Campaign; Debra Stoleroff, Chris Williams, Robin Cappuccino, David Detmold for the Vermont Yankee Decommissioning Alliance; Deb Katz and Chris Williams for VT Citizens Awareness Network; Hattie Nestel for the Shut it Down Affinity Group. Registration and more information link: http://www.clamshellalliance.org/action/?p=196

Update on August 27, 2011 by admin

VYDA: CANCELLED - Aug 28 Mtg Organizing mt of NVDA Campaign [apparently due to severe weather assoicated with Hurricane Irene]

CANCELLED: Sunday, August 28 meeting for those interested in helping to organize a regional non-violent direct action campaign to shut down Vermont Yankee on time

RESCHEDULE DATE: TBA

best,
--
- Debra Stoleroff, VYDA