TMIA's Proposal for Evacuation Standards for School Kids

By Eric Epstein

As noted below all “general populations” must be moved 10 miles from a nuclear power  plant during an evacuation.

The "minimum" mandated relocation distance for the general population is 5 miles past the 10-mile plume exposure boundary; which means 15 miles from the reactor.

The NRC recommends the general population be located 10 miles past the 10-mile plume exposure boundary, or 20 miles from the reactor.

However, host school pick-up centers for kids only need to be 10 miles and 1 inch from the reactor. Please note the proximity of host school centers for kids. TMI is the only community to have evacuated following an accident.

TMI-Alert's 's solution to the problem of proximity was for host school pick-up centers to be located a minimum distance of at least five miles and preferably 10 miles beyond the plume exposure boundary zone.

TMI-Alert proposes that the requirements that the NRC upheld allow host school pick-up centers to be just outside of the 10-mile radiation plume exposure boundary zone, and fail to adequately protect kids.

We ask, Why does the NRC insist on keeping children within a zone of exposure during a radiological emergency?