nuclear-news

USA university women to host meeting on nuclear disaster issues

Women’s group hosts meeting about nuclear disaster preparedness The Doings at La Grange (Chicago) By Chuck Fieldman cfieldman@pioneerlocal.com January 30, 2012 With March 11 being the first anniversary of the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster in Japan, the American Association of University Women is hosting a meeting about nuclear disaster preparedness from 1-3 p.m. Feb. 18 at Hinsdale United Methodist Church, 945 S. Garfield
Ave., Hinsdale.

“Our group meets monthly, and we try to make the meetings an
educational opportunity for members and interested community members,”
said Gail Hahn, the group’s publicity chairman. “Once a year, we have
a meeting on public policy; we take a look to see what’s out there and
try to find someone to come and talk about it.

“Our legislators are involved now in making energy policies, and we
want to make sure people are as educated as possible.”

Hahn said the topic of the Fukushima disaster also was of interest to
the group because very little news on additional fallout has been made
available after initial reports following the accident.

More than 120 million Americans live within 50 miles of an aging
nuclear power reactor, she said, adding Illinois has more nuclear
reactors than any other state.

The U.S. has 23 reactors of the same design as the one in Fukushima —
the GE Mark I boiling water reactor. Four of those 23 are in Illinois:
two in the Quad Cities and two at Dresden in Morris.

The guest speaker at the Feb. 18 meeting is Jeffrey Patterson, past
president of Physicians for Social Responsibility, who will talk about
potential impacts on public health and safety of a nuclear disaster in
Illinois, in the wake of Fukushima.

Patterson is a professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He is
regarded as an expert on the medical effects of radiation.

The Feb. 18 meeting is free and open to the public; however
reservations are recommended and can be made online at
H.OB.aauw.reservations@gmail.com.
http://lagrange.suntimes.com/news/10331464-418/womens-group-hosts-meeting-about-nuclear-disaster-preparedness.html

February 1, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | general