Obama Approves Raising Permissible Levels of Nuclear Radiation in Drinking Water.

Civilian Cancer Deaths Expected to Skyrocket‏

The White House has given final approval for dramatically raising permissible radioactive levels in drinking water and soil following “radiological incidents,” such as nuclear power-plant accidents and dirty bombs. The final version, slated for Federal Register publication as soon as today, is a win for the nuclear industry which seeks what its proponents call a “new normal” for radiation exposure among the U.S population, according Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER).

Issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, the radiation guides (called Protective Action Guides or PAGs) allow cleanup many times more lax than anything EPA has ever before accepted. These guides govern evacuations, shelter-in-place orders, food restrictions and other actions following a wide range of “radiological emergencies.” The Obama administration blocked a version of these PAGs from going into effect during its first days in office. The version given approval late last Friday is substantially similar to those proposed under Bush but duck some of the most controversial aspects: In soil, the PAGs allow long-term public exposure to radiation in amounts as high as 2,000 millirems.

This would, in effect, increase a longstanding 1 in 10,000 person cancer rate to a rate of 1 in 23 persons exposed over a 30-year period;
•In water, the PAGs punt on an exact new standard and EPA “continues to seek input on this.” But the thrust of the PAGs is to give on-site authorities much greater “flexibility” in setting aside established limits; and

•Resolves an internal fight inside EPA between nuclear versus public health specialists in favor of the former. The PAGs are the product of Gina McCarthy, the assistant administrator for air and radiation whose nomination to serve as EPA Administrator is taken up this week by the Senate.

•Despite the years-long internal fight, this is the first public official display of these guides. This takes place as Japan grapples with these same issues in the two years following its Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Source

They really think raising the levels will fix anything?!
This is insane, the sad thing is they will benefit from making all those extra people ill.
it's infuriating

This at the same time as Japan I hear has "had" to do the same thing due to extremally high levels of radiation in local swimming pools and mud in the Fukishima Prefecture. I just wonder how high the level will get that they deem acceptable. Because in the link from what I understand what they are reading is pretty damn high.

Fukishima pools

SaneThinking

reply to post by sarahlm

Have you read the PAGS or do you just always believe the pre-digested and biased versions of what you are presented? The updated manual is avaiable for review and comment. The President has "approved" nothing. The PAGS are guidlines for use in situations when cleanup operations are carried out by authorites other than Superfund programs or other state or federal authorities. As guidelines, the PAGs do not "permit" anything. The updated PAGs do not "raise" any allowable levels.

Your article makes false statements such as this:

In soil, the PAGs allow long-term public exposure to radiation in amounts as high as 2,000 millirems.

ascendingstarseed.wordpress.com... ths-expected-to-skyrocket/

In fact, the updated PAGS recommend relocation of the public if levels are at 2rem (2,000 millirem)/year at an accident site.

www.epa.gov...

Its the Free Market!!!
If Companies want to pollute, its fine. Free market at work. If you dont like it, move somewhere else. No government regulation would be better. That would be a true libertarian dream. The government shouldn't stop me from being able to drink that poisons water.