oregon officials: no public health risk from japan nuclear emergency

events in japan poses no health risk in oregon at this time...
yet geologists say: japan-like quake could happen here...
from the oregonian: Nuclear experts from Oregon and the U.S. responded Saturday to an explosion at a Japanese nuclear plant, saying there's no reason to believe large waves of radiation will cross the Pacific Ocean. Air quality remained normal in Oregon, the Oregon Health Authority said Saturday afternoon. In a written statement, department officials said the blast posed no risk to the state. The U.S. Energy Department also said Saturday there were no immediate impacts in the United States. "There is no indication whatsoever that materials from the incidents in Japan have potential to have any meaningful effect on the U.S. homeland," Stephanie Mueller, the U.S. energy department's press secretary, wrote in an e-mail to The Oregonian.

Mueller said U.S. officials continue to work with the Japanese government to review the situation and "will provide whatever assistance they request to help them bring the reactors under control."

Yet, many people wrote in blogs and online forums, questioning whether a jet stream might carry the radiation over to the U.S. Asked one Oregon Live commenter, co2: "Should I tell my grandson that he possibly is being exposed to extra radiation here in Oregon from this event? Or that the wind will bring it over in a week or so?"

Saturday's hydrogen explosion ripped through a concrete shell around the reactor, but didn't tear the primary steel container that housed the nuclear reactor. That means the plant's radioactive materials remain largely contained, said Brian Woods, an Oregon State nuclear engineering professor who studies reactor safety.

"Although it sounds really, really bad, the reality is that this primary containment is in contact," Woods said. "And as long as it's intact, no large amounts or radioactive material will make it out."

For that reason, Woods characterized Saturday's explosion as entirely different than the Chernobyl disaster. The reactor lacked the critical primary container, Woods said, and the reactor burned in the open-air.

Although Saturday's explosion likely released some radioactive material into the air, Woods called the amount relatively small. Areas closest to the reactor would be the most affected, he said.

"We're 3,000 miles away," Woods said. "I would really anticipate a very, very negligible amount of radioactive material making it as far as the U.S."

breaking news on the japanese situation -
updates from 3/14 @ 12am pacific time
video: nuke plant designer says govt suppressing crisis scale*
"if there were a reactor meltdown or major leak at fukushima, the radioactive cloud would likely be blown out ... towards the US west coast"*
emergency action alert: pacific coast of north america should brace for radioactive fallout*
google's crisis response tracking page*
infowars tracking page: japan's nuclear meltdown, aftershocks & fallout*
cryptogon.com on the implications of japanese earthquake*
japan tsunami & nuclear alert - live coverage from the guardian*
radiationnetwork.com real-time tracking of US radiation levels*
10k dead in japan amid fears of nuclear meltdowns*
japan: new reactor blast unlikely to cause big leak*
will japan be hit with multiple nuclear meltdowns in wake of tsunami?*
explosion at reactor #3 confirmed, outer wall has collapsed*
japan pm: crisis worst since wwii*
volcano erupts in southern japan*
meltdown at japanese nuclear power plant, a disaster waiting to happen*
director of the domestic nuclear detection office: who is warren stern?*
3/11, 'battle of los angeles' & earthquake, tsunami strike japan*
predictive programming – japanese earthquakes*

updates from 3/14 @ 12pm pacific time -
health officials predict no radiation risk in oregon from damaged japanese reactor*
nuclear expert: radiation could spread to US west coast*
japanese officials: nuclear fuel rods appear to be melting in 3 reactors*
japanese government cover-up foreshadows mega-disaster*
nuclear crisis highlights history of 'cover-ups'*
radioactive releases at fukushima could last months*
US carrier crew said to be exposed to radiation from japan*
despite contamination, navy copters keep aiding japan*
tokyo electric to build US nuclear plants: the no-bs info on japan's disastrous nuclear operators*
the new hiroshima: part 1, deadly discovery*

updates from 3/15 @ 11am pacific time -
video: reed prof says little to fear in oregon*
fallout: eugene stores see a run on radiation exposure tablets*
japan (less than) 48hrs away from nuclear disaster unless meltdown is stopped*
reuters liveblog on japan earthquake*
japan earthquake and tsunami:
america on nuclear alert after fukushima explosion*
russia's zhirinovsky calls on japanese to move to russia*
14 reasons why the economic collapse of japan has begun*
twilight language: supermoon rising*
where are all the looters?*
cia sends usaid to japan to manage nuclear disinfo campaign*

updates from 3/15 @ 11pm pacific time -
don't trust the mainstream media? not sure what exactly is going on with japan's failing nuclear reactors? this article was written to hopefully answer those questions*
27 signs the crisis is much worse than mainstream media or japanese govt tell us*
logical assessment of japan's nuke disaster – faq*
level 6 event: radiation levels soar as radioactive winds sweep toward tokyo*
alert: fukushima coverup, 40yrs of spent nuclear rods blown sky high*
you can stop worrying about a radiation disaster in japan - here's why*
japan earthquake: potential radiation risk to california is downplayed*
fukushima workers withdraw after radiation spikes*
fukushima workers temporarily evacuate after radiation spikes*
demand for anti-radiation drug surges*
US govt blocking americans from obtaining potassium iodide?*
haarp magnetometer data shows japan earthquake was induced*
team of rivals: US, china come to japan's quake aid*

updates from 3/16 @ 10pm pacific time -
un says radiation to hit US by friday*
first radiation particles from damaged reactors likely to hit california friday*
tokyo radiation levels 23 times normal*
US navy detects radiation 200 miles from japan nuclear plant*
international citizens radiation monitoring network*
theintelhub.com to monitor west coast radiation readings*
underground info on what's happening in japan - a dirty bomb waiting to go off*
nuke pills top $200 per pack on auction sites; prices up 1900% in a few days*
is this it? collapse & a new dawn triggered from japan*
yen hits highest against dollar since '95 on radiation concern*
US military blocks websites to help japan recovery efforts*

updates from 3/17 @ 8pm pacific time -
will a nuclear meltdown in japan impact oregon?*
video: radiation reassurance - releases from nuclear plant in japan pose no risk in oregon, health officials say at press conference*
officials say oregon safe from radiation*
radiation risk – not much*
oregon info line set up for questions about radiation*
urgent radiation preparedness action items for california, oregon, washington, bc, yukon & alaska*
video: un forecast 'diluted' radioactive fallout heading to west coast*
US west coast boosts alert for japan radiation*
feds deploy more radiation monitors in western US*
tokyo passengers trigger airport detectors in dallas*
japan radiation sets off o'hare airport alarms*
faa, airlines monitor radiation plume over pacific ocean*
seeking ki: the cdc needs to speak up*
video: americans rush to the drug store in nuclear fallout panic*
magnetic monster: geomagnetic field reveals increasing danger of continent killing quakes*
nuclear accident in US would cost taxpayers a fortune*
nuclear reactor design caused ge scientist to quit in protest*
pentagon coverup of data on fukushima disaster*
japan reactor emergency passes three mile island on scale of nuclear disasters*
video: US authorizes japan evacuations*

updates from 3/18 @ 8am pacific time -
epa: no health risk from radiation heading to california*
rumors & misinfo create undue panic*
mainstream experts predict radiation in US will be harmless*
tsunami sinks dozens of boats…in california*
japan's pm says nuclear situation 'very grave'*
hopes fade for finding more survivors*
japan weighs need to bury nuclear plant; tries to restore power*
power line for japan reactor could come saturday*
evacuation zones around the fukushima nuclear plant*
ex-rad, the US military's radiation wonder drug*
march madness & the western response to japan*