Special plans have already been developed to protect the public in the event of a nuclear incident in your area. These plans give specific attention to people who – like you – live, work or visit within 10 miles of a nuclear power plant. Procedures are in place to help protect you and other members of the public in the unlikely event of a nuclear emergency. If necessary, area officials would declare an emergency and take measures to ensure public safety.
This site addresses procedures for the Palisades area. Please read this material for future reference. Although it specifically addresses a potential nuclear incident, much of the information is useful in any major emergency.
Emergency Classifications
One of the four classifications below would be used
to describe a nuclear plant emergency. Entergy
Palisades would contact federal, state and local
authorities in each of the following situations:
Unusual Event: Notification of an Unusual Event is the least serious of the four warning levels. It means there is a problem at the plant that is being handled by plant workers and does not affect the public. Because of strict federal regulations, some kinds of problems are reported to the NRC and to state and local officials as unusual events even though they pose no danger to the public. The sirens would not be sounded.
Alert: An Alert is an event that could affect plant safety. Although there is still no danger to the public, county and state officials would begin getting emergency operations centers ready in case the situation gets worse. The sirens would not be sounded.
Site Area Emergency: A Site Area Emergency is an event that could possibly affect the public. The sirens may be sounded to alert the public to listen to the emergency broadcast stations for information and instructions.General Emergency: A General Emergency is the most serious of the four classifications. In this situation, state and local authorities would take action to protect the public. The sirens would be sounded. Emergency broadcast stations would give information and instructions. If necessary, some areas could be evacuated.
Ionizing radiation also comes from man-made sources. These include medical treatments, X-rays, TV sets and nuclear power plants.
Radiation is measured in units called millirems.
The average person receives about 620 millirems
of radiation a year from background and medical
exposure. Each year we get more radiation from
natural sources than we get from nuclear plants.
Nuclear power adds very little to how much
radiation we get.
How Radiation Could Harm You Depends On:
• The length of time you are exposed.
• How far you are from the radioactive source.
• The amount of your body exposed and which part.
• The amount of radioactive material you
breathe or take into your body.
The less radiation you are exposed to, the less chance you have of suffering any harmful effects.
If radiation is absorbed by living tissue, it can damage cells. If the damage is slight, or takes place slowly, the body can usually make repairs. But if the damage is great, enough repairs may not be possible and the health effects could be severe.
Evacuation and in-place sheltering are the primary means of protection in a radiological emergency. State and county officials will use the Emergency Alert System (EAS) to notify the public of the need to evacuate, to shelter, or to take KI. KI is available to people within 10 miles of Palisades through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). Distribution of KI is pre-event and a voucher from MDHHS is needed to obtain this. Detailed instructions on the distribution of KI can be found on their website at www.michigan.gov/KI and as well as here.
Click here to download a KI Voucher.
KI should not be used by people who are allergic to iodine. In the event of an allergic reaction, seek immediate medical attention.
Protecting The Food Supply During A Radiological Emergency
This portion outlines plans to protect the food supply
in the event of an emergency. Information in this
section includes the following:
* How you will be notified in an emergency
* Actions which may be necessary to protect the food supply
* Who to contact for more information
Summary
The public could be exposed to radioactive material
in several ways following an accident. At first,
particles and gases released into the air could be
ingested or inhaled directly. Additional exposure
could result from the consumption of food or milk
contaminated by traces of the material. Farmers,
food processors and distributors will be required
to take steps to address the matter of food supply
contamination. Proper actions will ensure that
contamination is minimized or avoided.
If you are alerted to a radiological emergency by warning sirens or some other means, tune your radio to a local station for immediate and continuous emergency information. Click here for stations. You may also contact your Cooperative Extension Service agent or the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for specific information. Locations and telephone numbers of local Cooperative Extension Service offices are here.
Do not destroy any animals, crops, milk, or feed supplies unless directed to do so. The environmental damage caused by an accident may be short-lived. Steps can generally be taken to make a full recovery possible.
Who Pays For Lost Or Destroyed Farm Products?
Farmers, food processors and distributors could
face serious financial losses following a radiological
emergency. However, federal law ensures that such
losses will be reimbursed. The Price-Anderson Act,
enacted by Congress in 1957, requires that the
operators of nuclear power plants and certain other
nuclear facilities purchase nuclear liability insurance
policies for the protection of the public. As a result,
no-fault insurance pools are in place to pay claims
promptly without lengthy court hearings. Claimants
need only prove that the injury or property
damage resulted from the radiological emergency.
Commercial insurance policies exclude coverage
for nuclear accidents because Price-Anderson’s
provisions make such coverage unnecessary.
Contamination And Radiation
The term “contamination” is used in this portion
of the site. It means, quite simply, radioactive
material where it is not supposed to be. Food,
water or air is considered to be contaminated if
it contains more or different types of radioactive
material than would normally be present. Our
bodies, for example, contain very small amounts
of the radioactive elements potassium 40, carbon
14 and tritium. However, we are not considered
to be contaminated because these elements exist
within us naturally. On the other hand, the presence
of strontium 90 (a byproduct of nuclear weapons
testing) in food, water or air may be indicative of
contamination.
“Radiation” refers to the particles and waves given off by radioactive material. The radiation given off by contaminants could be considered harmful if the levels are high enough and the exposure lasts long enough.
How Contamination Can Occur
Dust-sized radioactive particles released into the air
during an accident could fall on fruits, vegetables
or grains which could enter the food supply and be
eaten by the public. For example, dairy cows and
goats could eat grasses covered with radioactive
iodine 131. Traces of the iodine could be passed
through to the milk and then to consumers. Iodine
131 has the potential to concentrate in the human
thyroid gland where it could cause thyroid cancer.
Public Warning Process
The state of Michigan is responsible for evaluating
the severity of a nuclear emergency and ordering
actions to protect the public and the food supply.
If you live within 10 miles of the Entergy Palisades
Plant, your first warning may be the sounding of
local emergency sirens. If you hear a siren, turn
your radio or TV on and tune it to a local station
for immediate information transmitted through the
Emergency Alert System (EAS). Click here for stations. If you live farther
away, your first notification could come from the
news media, EAS broadcasts or Cooperative
Extension Service official. You may contact the
Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural
Development directly if you have questions about a
real or potential emergency.
Data Collection Helps Determine Protective Actions
Following an accidental release of radioactive
material, emergency workers from the Michigan
Department of Environmental Quality and the
Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural
Development will collect air, water and soil samples
to determine the existence, amount and location of
any contamination. Samples of milk, forage, crops
and processed foods may also be obtained. Field
data and other factors will be used by the state to
determine the best course of action to protect the
public and the food supply.
Because naturally occurring radioactive materials can always be found in the environment, Entergy Palisades and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality conduct a continuous program of sample air, water, milk, vegetation and animal life near the Entergy Palisades Plant. In this way, they are able to establish a baseline for comparison in the event of an emergency.
The area designated for post-accident environmental sampling could extend as far as 50 miles from the plant site. Specific instructions regarding the collection and testing process will be made available to farmers, food processors and distributors in the affected area by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Sheltering In An Emergency
If you are told to take shelter because of an
emergency at a nuclear power plant, limit your
outdoor activities as much as possible. Refer to Evacuation Basics for specific actions
you and your family should take for personal
protection. Steps to protect the food supply are
different and are outlined further below.
What To Do If An Evacuation Is Ordered
If you live within ten miles of the Palisades Power
Plant, you could be evacuated from the area in
an emergency. If you must leave your animals, be
sure to leave enough water and feed to sustain
them until they can be cared for again. You may
be permitted, at the direction of the state, to reenter
the evacuated area temporarily to tend to
the needs of your farm. You will receive specific
instructions on routes to use, safety precautions
and decontamination procedures. Your Cooperative
Extension Service agent will be able to provide
animal health and feeding guidance.
Protection Of Livestock/Dairy Animals
It is essential that priority be given to protecting
dairy animals because radioactive materials can
quickly enter the food chain through milk and other
dairy products. If sheltering is required, shelter
these animals first.
Shelter livestock in covered barns or sheds unless extremely hot weather or other factors make this impossible. Provide your animals stored feed such as hay, silage and bagged grain. Whenever possible, animals should be provided water drawn from wells. Open sources such as ponds, creeks or rivers should be avoided if possible. These protective measures will minimize the amount of radioactive material available to the animals. Since evacuation of farm animals will not normally be possible after a nuclear accident, sheltering and the use of stored feed and well water are the most effective means of limiting contamination.
Poultry are more resistant to radioactive contamination than other farm animals. Since most are raised in confined facilities and receive stored feed and well water, they can be sheltered in their existing structures. If your poultry animals are normally kept outdoors, they should be brought inside if possible. Eggshells provide natural protection from contamination. Generally, eggs will be safe to eat after the shells are washed to remove surface contaminants.
If animals have been exposed to radioactive particles carried by winds or rain from the accident site, they should be washed with uncontaminated water before being brought into a shelter.
Save Your Animals
Do not destroy any animals unless directed to do
so by state or federal authorities. Do not slaughter
any animals except for immediate food needs.
Generally, animals that are exposed to radioactive
contaminants and rainwater will survive and may be
marketable and safe for human consumption. Do
not allow animals to graze in open fields unless so
directed by the state of Michigan, your Cooperative
Extension Service agent or other governmental
official.
Contaminated Feed
Only in extreme emergencies may contaminated
grain or hay be used for feed. If you must use feed
which has been identified as contaminated, you
may be able to reduce the level of contamination.
For example, if the feed was stored outside, the
contamination may be greatest at or near the
surface of the feed pile. Removal of the top portion
may greatly reduce the amount of contamination
present.
Do not dispose of contaminated feed or hay because it may be salvageable over time. You should, however, keep it separated from noncontaminated feed supplies and animals so that the contamination is not spread. Contact your Cooperative Extension Service agent for guidance.
Contaminated Milk And Other Farm Products
If particles of radioactive material are present in
large amounts, you may be advised not to use,
consume or sell garden produce or animal products
until the environment and food products are
sampled and assessed by the Michigan Department
of Environmental Quality and the Michigan
Department of Agriculture & Rural Development.
The presence of contamination may not mean that
all of your crops will be lost. Iodine 131, an element
produced in nuclear plants that could be released
accidentally, loses half of its radioactivity in eight
days. Milk contaminated at low levels by iodine
131 may be converted to powdered milk or cheese
and then stored while the iodine’s radioactivity
diminishes. It may also be usable as animal feed.
Do not destroy food or feed unless spoilage has made it inedible. Generally, contaminated products may be salvageable after adequate time passes and they are properly processed. Your Cooperative Extension Service agent can provide specific information.
Water Supplies
Store as much water as possible for livestock. Cover
open wells, tanks and other storage containers to
prevent or limit contamination. Close off the intakes
from contaminated water sources (ponds, streams
or cisterns) to prevent circulation of contaminated
water. Generally, water from wells and water
heaters should be safe to use.
Unless soils are highly permeable, contaminants deposited on the ground will normally travel very slowly into the aquifer. Contaminants may fall directly onto the surfaces of lakes or rivers where they can infiltrate groundwater supplies. Streams and lake currents can transport contaminants many miles in a few hours.
Fish And Marine Life
Fish and other marine life raised in ponds, or
taken from rivers, streams or lakes may continue
to be harvested unless the Michigan Department
of Natural Resources, Michigan Department of
Agriculture & Rural Development, and Michigan
Department of Environmental Quality have
determined through laboratory analysis of samples
that they are contaminated.
Crops In The Field
Standing crops should generally be allowed to
grow to maturity. The level of radiation exposure
to plants that is likely to occur will not affect their
growth. Most contaminants will be washed off or
will diminish in strength naturally to safe levels
during the growing process. If special harvesting
procedures are necessary, your Cooperative
Extension Service agent will advise you.
Pasture and forage plants usually retain very little radioactive material deposited on them. The extent to which they collect and retain contaminants depends on the amount and type of contaminants involved, foliage characteristics and the amount of rain and wind occurring after the accident.
Fruits And Vegetables In The Field
Unprotected plants may have particles of
contaminants on their surfaces. Leaves, pods and
fruits should be washed, brushed, scrubbed or
peeled before eating. Some leafy vegetables may
be eaten after removal of the outer layers and a
thorough washing.
Ripe fruit and vegetables may be lost through spoilage if high levels of contamination prevent the entry of field workers to harvest them. Those that do not need to be harvested immediately can be salvaged later when the area has been determined to be safe for harvesting.
Honey And Apiary Products
Honey and bee hives may be sources of
contamination if radioactive contamination is
detected in the area. Honey and bee hives will be
sampled and analyzed by the Michigan Department
of Environmental Quality and the Michigan
Department of Agriculture & Rural Development
if contamination is apparent. Contact your
Cooperative Extension Service agent for guidance.
Roots And Tubers
Potatoes, carrots and similar plants can generally be
eaten after they are thoroughly washed and peeled
to remove soil particles and contaminants.
Other Plants Or Wildlife
Wild plants, such as native herbs, mushrooms,
dandelion greens, spearmint, peppermint or
wintergreen may have particles of contamination
on their surfaces. They should be washed, brushed,
scrubbed or peeled before eating.
Wild game, such as deer, rabbit, squirrel, pheasant or partridge, may have ingested contaminants through their normal browse. You may be advised by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Quality, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development not to consume wild game until it has been sampled and assessed as safe.
Weather And Time Play A Part
All radioactive materials lose their radioactivity over
time. Inert gases released from commercial nuclear
plants lose their radioactivity in a matter of minutes,
for example. Wind or heavy rain tend to remove
radioactive material rapidly from plant surfaces.
In some cases, however, hard rain falling on
contaminated soil could splash the soil onto plant
surfaces, thus increasing the amount of radioactive
material on low-standing plants.
Soil Recovery
Several steps may be taken to restore soils
contaminated in an accident. Nonuse for a period
of time may be required. In a worst-case situation,
heavily contaminated soil may require removal and
disposal elsewhere. Such a drastic action may not
be feasible for large fields but may be appropriate
for small plots or areas such as walkways near
buildings where frequent human contact is likely. In
less severe situations, fiber crops may be planted
instead of fruits and vegetables. Deep plowing may
be employed to keep radioactive contaminants
below the root zone while the radioactivity
decays over time. Liming may be used to limit the
absorption of specific radioactive elements by
crops. The Natural Resources Conservation Service
of the U.S. Department of Agriculture will provide
farmers with guidance as to the best means of
restoring valuable soils to productive use.
Food Processors And Distributors
Following a radiological emergency, governmental
officials may restrict the movement of food
products and withhold them from the marketplace
if they are found to be contaminated. These
products should not be released until they are
considered to be safe for consumption, or until a
decision has been made to dispose of them. You
will be instructed how to safely handle and dispose
of contaminated food products by the Michigan
Department of Agriculture & Rural Development.