Republican News

Alaskans Concern About Japan Radiation Understandable

March 16, 2011
05:46 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                 CONTACT: ROBERT DILLON (202) 224-6977
MARCH 16, 2011                                         MEGAN HERMANN (202) 224-7875
                                  
Alaskans Concern About Japan Radiation Understandable
National Nuclear Security Administration Says Alaska not at Risk of Radiation from Nuclear Plants in Japan
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released the following statement regarding the risk of radiation from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan reaching Alaska.
 
“It’s understandable that Alaskans would be concerned about the threat of radiation from Japan drifting across the Pacific Ocean. The National Nuclear Security Administration has assured me, however, that there’s no risk of radioactive material reaching Alaska, Hawaii, the territories, or the Lower 48,” Murkowski said.
 
“Government scientists have said that even under the worst-case scenario any radiation drifting toward Alaska would be so dispersed by the time it reached our coastline that the exposure risk would be less than what you would experience on a flight to Seattle,” Murkowski said.
 
Murkowski said the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to send three monitoring stations to Alaska as a precaution was prudent. Murkowski said she also supports the state sending additional radiation monitors to rural parts of the state as a precaution.

“We should take every precaution to make sure this doesn’t affect the health of Alaskans,” Murkowski said.
 
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For further information, please contact Robert Dillon at 202.224.6977 or robert_dillon@energy.senate.gov or Megan Hermann at 202.224.7875 or megan_hermann@energy.senate.gov.