[ RadSafe ] Apparently large amount of Radon in Natural Gas Release near Los Angeles

[Roger Helbig]

Here is NY Times article on the gas leak from a storage well that has
been leaking since October and has led to Governor Brown declaring an
emergency.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/07/us/california-governor-declares-emergency-over-los-angeles-gas-leak.html

On Mon, Jan 11, 2016 at 7:06 PM, Roger Helbig <rwhelbig at gmail.com> wrote:
> Here is how news and anti-nukes are playing this, ignoring the fact
> that this appears to be naturally occuring radioactive material and
> has nothing to do with nuclear power or weapons
>
> Roger Helbig
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: nuclear-news <comment-reply at wordpress.com>
> Date: Mon, Jan 11, 2016 at 6:18 PM
> Subject: [New post] Massive gas blowout in Los Angeles now releasing
> radioactive material
> To: rwhelbig at gmail.com
>
>
> Christina MacPherson posted: "TV: Radioactive material reportedly now
> being released from massive gas blowout in LA — Byproduct of Uranium —
> Expert: “A lot” has been detected in area… Very dangerous… May be
> coming up from ground into people’s homes — Official: Levels can cause
> “signif"
> Respond to this post by replying above this line
>
>
> Massive gas blowout in Los Angeles now releasing radioactive material
>
> by Christina MacPherson
>
> TV: Radioactive material reportedly now being released from massive
> gas blowout in LA — Byproduct of Uranium — Expert: “A lot” has been
> detected in area… Very dangerous… May be coming up from ground into
> people’s homes — Official: Levels can cause “significant long-term
> health effects” (VIDEO)
> http://enenews.com/tv-reports-radioactive-material-being-released-massive-gas-blowout-la-byproduct-uranium-expert-lot-being-measured-area-very-dangerous-be-coming-ground-peoples-living-rooms-bedrooms-nurseries?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29
>
> Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Jan 8, 2016: Their animals are dying… their
> fish are dying in their fish bowls, their dogs are dying, their cats
> are getting sick. And their children are getting sick — they’re
> suffering nose bleeds, they’re suffering terrible debilitating
> migraine headaches, asthma attacks, respiratory infections, eye
> infections, ear infections, stomach ailments… The health impact — it’s
> not just methane coming out of that hole… This is global crisis, more
> importantly this is a local crisis. Because not only do you have
> methane — you have benzene, toluene, xylene, which are carcinogenic.
> You have hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide — which are neurotoxic,
> which can injure your brain, affect memory, injure your kidneys, your
> liver, your other bodily organs. There’s also a lot of radon gas being
> measured in the area. People believe — we don’t know if this is true —
> the gas that is leaking at 2 miles deep is now coming out and pushing
> that radon up into people’s living rooms, their bedrooms, their
> nurseries.
>
> Lawyers and Settlements, Jan 7, 2016: The leak has caused a continuous
> flow of gases and fluids. Methane alone is leaking 100,000 pounds per
> hour, according to Los Angeles city attorney Mike Feuer. Along with
> that greenhouse gas is methyl mercaptans (odorants added to gas to aid
> in leak detection) and aromatic hydrocarbons. More concernedly, health
> officials have identified benzene and radon, both known carcinogens.
>
> CBS LA, Dec 11, 2015: Dr. Cyrus Rangan, the Director of Toxicology and
> Assessment for the county, came to CBS2/KCAL9 to answer questions….
> It’s been reported that radon is being released…  “This is a
> theoretical possibility,” Dr. Rangan said, “and when you’re addressing
> a problem that might be several hundred or even several thousand feet
> deep, you might generate what are called preferential pathways for
> something like radon, beneath the Earth’s surface, to make its way up
> to the surface. So primarily our concern about radon is from the
> worker’s exposure, for the people actually doing the repair job. If we
> find radon there, we can address the situation. And if radon does
> exist in the work site then we may need to have to look at the
> residential community and monitor for it.”
>
> Lawyers and Settlements, Dec 12, 2015: There is the issue of radon, a
> naturally occurringbyproduct of uranium… as SoCalGas and its partners
> bore into the ground in an attempt to stem a leak that is unleashing a
> constant cloud of gas into the atmosphere, radon has crept into the
> conversation.
>
> Robert Kennedy Jr, Dec 17, 2015: Public officials and the gas industry
> have a tricky and deceptive way of saying things. Methane itself is
> not dangerous… methane is an indicator that other gases are involved,
> including radon and benzene, both carcinogenic and very dangerous… gas
> can escape through any perforation in the earth and on the way up to
> the surface, it can encounter the aquifers underground, where it will
> leave behind chemicals, including benzene and radon.
>
> Erin Brockovich, Dec 22, 2015: [B]enzene and radon [are] the
> carcinogens that are commonly found in natural gas.
>
> Los Angeles Daily News, Dec 2, 2015: [R]adon gas, which may
> potentially be released during repair operations, is also a concern
> [L.A. County Department of Public Health Interim Director Cynthia
> Harding] said.
>
> Los Angeles Times, Dec 2, 2015: Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael
> D. Antonovich said a new report by county public health officials had
> concluded that since the gas leak has continued for so long, emissions
> levels could produce “significant long-term health effects, including
> cancer.” Antonovich said the report had identified benzene as the
> “chemical of greatest concern,” because it is known to cause cancer.
> It also cited concerns about radon, another known carcinogen.
>
> KPCC, Dec 9, 2015: Public Health Director Cynthia Harding told members
> of the Board of Supervisors in a Dec. 1 letter [that radon] could also
> be released as the leak is repaired.
>
> Los Angeles Times, Dec 20, 2015: Health officials are also concerned
> that the company’s attempt to fix the leak by drilling into the ground
> to construct a relief well could release radon, a radioactive,
> naturally occurring and odorless gas that is found in geologic
> formations and causes lung cancer.
>
> Watch an interview with Robert Kennedy here
>
> Christina MacPherson | January 12, 2016 at 2:18 am | Categories:
> incidents, USA | URL: http://wp.me/phgse-lDB
>
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