President Obama today reiterated to all Americans that no harmful levels of radiation are expected to reach Hawaii, the West Coast, or the Pacific Territories as a result of damage to nuclear plants in Japan. “Second, I know that many Americans are also worried about the potential risks to the United States. So I want to be very clear: We do not expect harmful levels of radiation to reach the United States, whether it’s the West Coast, Hawaii, Alaska, or U.S. territories in the Pacific. Let me repeat that: We do not expect harmful levels of radiation to reach the West Coast, Hawaii, Alaska, or U.S. territories in the Pacific. That is the judgment of our Nuclear Regulatory Commission and many other experts.” President Barack Obama, March 17, 2011. In addition, experts, most notably U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory Jaczko, have repeatedly declared that there is no evidence indicating that Hawaii is in any danger. “All the available information indicates weather conditions have taken the small releases from the Fukushima reactors out to sea away from the population. Given the thousands of miles between the two countries, Hawaii, Alaska, the U.S. Territories and the U.S. West Coast are not expected to experience any harmful levels of radioactivity” (NRC News Release).
Finally, Governor Abercrombie echoed the President’s and NRC’s assessment in his statement issued this afternoon. “I want to reassure residents and visitors that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the highest authority on radiation in the nation, has indicated Japan’s nuclear emergency presents no danger to Hawaii. Our state and county monitoring systems have not detected any increase in radiation levels, and based on all available information, state and federal experts do not anticipate any risk of harmful radiation exposure to our islands. We are open for business. Hawaii continues to be the world’s paradise. “Residents do not need to take protective measures at this time. Our state Department of Health is working closely with state, county and federal agencies to monitor the situation on a minute-to-minute basis.
Ongoing updates and informational sessions are taking place with federal authorities. “In the meantime, we continue to send our aloha to the people of Japan. As one island people to another, we stand with them in solidarity and in sympathy for the challenges they are facing.”
