American Sailors Involved in Fukushima Cleanup May Have Cancer

Fish caught near Fukushima
post-tsunami
(Photo: LA Times)

Remember Fukushima? The nuclear meltdown had a number of disastrous consequences for the Japanese population and the area near the disaster. According to a lawsuit recently filed in San Diego, the radiation may have impacted American midshipmen and sailors involved in humanitarian efforts in the Fukushima area. The financial blog zerohedge.com cobbled together a number of stories related to the litigation.

It's useful to remember that, prior to the Fukushima incident, the nuclear power industry had become something of a darling among "alternative energy" advocates. That perspective suddenly changed after the Japanese nuclear disaster. One doesn't read optimistic pieces about nuclear energy's "potential". However, many nuke plants remain quite active throughout the world, notably in France. Each operating facility is essentially playing poker with random events and unperceived engineering miscalculations. That's not a game, and certainly not a bet, I want to play.

Fukushima Radioactivity Again Reaches "Emergency" Status

Fish Caught Near Fukushima, 2013
(Image: LA Times)

In 2011, nuclear reactors in Fukushima, Japan, became radioactive disaster areas, courtesy of an earthquake and subsequent catastrophic tsunami. The Japanese government and the facility's corporate ownership have tripped over themselves in their desperate flight from their failed Faustian bargain with nuclear energy. The grim scenario has recently become even bleaker, as radioactive groundwater is building up without any obvious exit except one: the Pacific Ocean.

A recent BBC story notes the evident alarm Japanese prime minister Abe's government feels at this most unwelcome turn of events. This environmental disaster continues largely unabated, without any clear solution. It wasn't so long ago when many, including President Obama, were touting nuclear power's promise. That song has changed, hopefully for keeps.

Southern California Nuke Plant To Permanently Close

San Onofre nuclear power plant,
with Interstate 5 in the middleground
(photo: eastcountymagazine.org)

A long time ago, I drove from Los Angeles to San Diego along Interstate 5. The busy intercity route parallels the Pacific Ocean for a considerable stretch. Along the way, some ominous structures broke the view between the busy highway and the nearby sea. I later discovered they were the San Onofre nuclear power plant.

It seemed a matter of poor judgment that atomic materials were located in a known earthquake zone such as southern California's coastal region. Yet, nuclear power's advocates have rarely shied away from locating the tangible results of their Faustian bargains in seismically active areas. When things go wrong, as they did in Fukushima last year, the catastrophe becomes bad news that only gets worse.

Even though I live at the opposite end of the continent from SoCal, I felt a sense of relief when today's Financial Times reported San Onofre will be "retired." In other words, this Frankenstein of an electrical generation plant will be closed once and for all. The good news? The plant has been shuttered since January 2012. Apparently, other means of creating and delivering energy to the region have, thankfully, been found.