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Representing Nuclear Contamination and Remediation

danica

The Weldon Spring Interpretive Center was a discursive jamboree for those of us curious about how anthropocenics are narrated. This particular display at the center stood out to me becuase of its resemblance to other interpretive center or science museum displays representing the "life cycle" of an organism or of cycles of ecosystem conditions (e.g. forest succession). One of the first displays visitors see upon entering the center, the display's format and captions read to me as a clear attempt to control the discourse about nuclear contamination and remediation in the area. The image--or its creator--wants to do the work of suggesting that the clean up process has brought the place "back to how it was," cycling back to a good beginning. The text used in this display is exclusively neutral or positive. The arrows moving from each circle to the next purports to display how "this area has served many purposes over the years." It states "these exhibits are designed to educate you on the history, science, and efforts of many to bring the Weldon Spring site full circle." In this cycle, Weldon Spring is not a hazardouse waste site or contaminated site but rather "a site for remedial action." Thus we are to see the space as a "home to many people," then "a TNT and DNT plant," then "a uranium feed and matierals plant," then "a site for remedial action," "an extensive cleanup effort," "a successful solution," and, finally, "a place to enjoy and learn." In this emphasis on a "return" to good conditions, the displacement of residents, health issues plant workers and others' faced, and the uncertainties or messiness of what adequate clean up is are omitted. In this image, and in much of the interpretive center, the discourse around nuclear materials, its effects and cleanup, is neatened, simplified, into a narrative that de-emphasizes the actual health impacts of these processes and of the political wherewithall that was required to make that remediation happen.

The notion of cycling back to something is a particularly intriguing move

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xiaox

A quote of NRC spokesman Neil Sheehan which is, "Quite frankly, we don't have any nuclear-plant complexes where you have so many reactors packed so closely together" capture the message of the article. It shows there are no nuclear emergency plans for Indian Point Disaster. In the 10 miles radius or even 50 miles radius, there should be prepared an emergency plans and educated the resisdents about the nuclear disaster. 

Another quote "I;m not against the planning. It's where is the funding going to come from to make it happen?" of Steven Peterson, who is director of emergency management for Ulster County, N.Y.. It reveals within the 50 miles radius area provide nuclear emergency plant need federal support and guidance. Government and organisations should offer resisdents a specific emergency plants, such as evacuation and power plants. 

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xiaox

Joseph De Avila applied lots of quotations to show different views about the planning for Indian Point Disaster, and also applied a image of the area might be influenced by Indian Point Disaster and the emergency plants should cover. Different views of different people and represnt different counties or organisation to show the present situation of the emergency plants for Indian Point Disaster. Joseph also applied the research of different quotations to show all the education and emergency planning should support by federal government. 

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xiaox

The article shows there are no specific nuclear emergency plants or Indian Point Disaster. The arounding environment is densely populated and no material educational to resisdent. The situtation are illustrated by image and quotations of many different representors. The main point is as the title shows, to urges expanded emergency planning for Indian Point disaster. The important thing is federal government need to support and guide the state and organisations. 

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xiaox

Indian Point Energy Centre is a new power plants station in Buchanan. As well as the communities around it are without any emergency respond plants to nuclear disaster. NRC is  Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which is an organisation for the safety of nuclear power production and civilians uses for nuclear materials. In addtion, there are some representors of different communities. For example, Ben Smilowitz who is executive director of the Disaster Accountability Project, and Dutchess County’s commissioner of emergency response,Dana Smith. Some actors' words are quotated to show the main point of the article and support the author research. 

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xiaox

The article reveals the Indian Point Disaster's arounding situation which is without any specific nuclear emergency plant. It descripes the different views of communities and shows the area in 5 miles radius to contrast the public emergency response should be urged and expanded. The lack of nuclear emergency response and resisdents education are should be improved by government.  

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xiaox

Prepare nucleaer emergency plants in the area which might be influenced, even expand the area as much as possible. Educated the resisdents about the evauation and emergency respond. When the disaster is happen, people should go indoor and close all the window and door. Keep updating the news and office information. and  follow the guidence to evacuate. Government should immediately active the emergency plants and radiological respond when the nuclear disaster acident happen. 

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Andreas_Rebmann

"Entergy Corp, which operates Indian Point, said that 10 miles 'provides a robust safety margin' and the Fukushima advisory reflected that area's bigger power complex and the lack of information surrounding that accident."
"...Disaster Accountability Project, a nonprofit organization that monitors disaster-response programs and the author of the report, cited the commission's response to the 2011 nuclear accident in Fukushima, Japan, in which it reccommended that U.S. citizens within 50 miles evacuate."