Dear President Obama,
Deteriorating conditions at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear complex clearly constitute an international crisis of epic proportions that requires the highest level of international scientific and technological assistance in an effort to minimize the continuing damage to international health and safety. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe recently appealed to the international community to provide the knowledge and expertise needed to avert disaster. We therefore call upon you to issue an Executive Order directing all appropriate federal agencies to assist in leading an international effort to avert what appears to be a looming catastrophe of unprecedented dimensions. We believe it would be appropriate for the United States, in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, to lead this effort and to assure that the needed resources will be available.
Of greatest immediate concern, the unit 4 fuel rods, which are precariously stored 100 feet in the air, in the damaged unit 4 building, must be brought to ground. Removing the fuel rods will be extremely challenging; but is imperative given the compromised condition of the building and the continuing threat of seismic activity or other natural disaster. Additionally, the reactor cores from units 1, 2, and 3 have melted down and are widely believed to have penetrated the floor of the reactor buildings. The fuel rods and the reactor cores must be continually cooled to minimize the release of radioactivity. Contaminated rainwater and cooling water is contained in 1,000 tanks haphazardly placed on site with almost daily reports of leaks. Groundwater also flows freely through the site resulting in the uncontrolled discharge of radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean.
Over two and a half years after the initial disaster of March 11, 2011, the situation remains highly unstable. The Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) remains in charge of the containment and cleanup of the site, but does not appear to have the resources or expertise to accomplish the task. TEPCO also does not plan to remove the melted reactor cores until 2020, virtually guaranteeing that contaminated groundwater will flow uncontrolled through the site and into the Pacific Ocean for the next seven years.
In addition to the requested Executive Order, we also call upon you to assure that the federal government is conducting all appropriate monitoring and testing to assess the level and impacts of radioactive contamination to west coast communities and the near shore marine environment. Our County's link to these events also encompass personal relationships through Sister City partnerships between Fort Bragg and Otsuchi and between Mendocino and Miasa-Omachi.
Given the recent invitation from Prime Minister Abe, it is now both appropriate and imperative that the international community respond to this continuing international disaster without delay. Thank you for your attention to this request.
Sincerely,
Dan Hamburg,
Chair, Mendocino County Board of Supervisors
Click here to download a copy of this letter in MS Word format.
How to Contact the White HouseTo contact President Obama, please download or copy the Open Letter above and either email or post it via the following methods (from the whitehouse.gov website).
EmailEmail is the fastest way to get your message to President Obama. You can send a message to the White House by filling out the webform under this link.
I have tested this webform and, although the "Comments' section appears as a small box at the bottom of the form, the character limit in that field is adequate for you to paste the entire Open Letter.
PostAlternatively you can print and post your letter to Barack Obama at the following address:
President Barack Obama
The White House
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
