Why would the west coast USA be in danger from Meltdown of Nuclear Power Plants in Japan? The prevailing jet stream winds are blowing from Japan directly across the Pacific ocean to the west  coast of the United States (and then would move east on the Jet Stream).  Any airborne radiation would make its way across with the jet stream, reaching the U.S. in approximately 36 hours, depending on the actual speed of the jet. 

It is possible that early radioactive releases are already airborne and heading toward the United States. Japan has 55 Nuclear Power Plants with 11 More planned for operation in the near future.  A fast-breeder reactor is to be re-opened in the near future (this plant was closed in 1990, due to serious problems).

U.S. EPA Glossary of Radiation Terms & Other Information - March 12, 2011 http://www.epa.gov/radiation/glossary/index.html

U.S. EPA Radiation Protection Website - March 12, 2011 http://www.epa.gov/radiation/sitemap.html

Centers for Disease Control - Radiation Emergency Brochure - Note Section on Potassium Iodide http://www.epa.gov/hurricanes/pdf/radiation_brochure.pdf

Cesium - U.S. EPA Information Website - March 12, 2011 

(Japanese Officials Have Declared State of Emergency) http://www.epa.gov/radiation/radionuclides/cesium.html

Leaks at Nuclear Power Plants in Japan - Explosion at one nuclear power plant - Note Increased Cancer+Other Risks) http://www.epa.gov/radiation/radionuclides/cesium.html

Strontium - U.S. EPA Information Website - March 12, 2011 http://www.epa.gov/radiation/radionuclides/strontium.html

Vermont Yankee-Connecticut  Tritium Problems  March 11, 2011 NYTimes http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/11/science/earth/11nuke.html?ref=science

Nuclear Plants - Tritium Problems - U.S. EPA General Information-March 12, 2011 http://www.epa.gov/radiation/radionuclides/tritium.html

U.S. EPA March 12, 2011 - Radionuclides in Air and Water:  Overview  (Radiation) http://www.epa.gov/radiation/air-water-overview.html
14U 2011 U.S. EPA Iodine Information Website March 12, 2011 - Treatment Prior to Exposure http://www.epa.gov/radiation/radionuclides/iodine.html

Please Read Information About Potassium Iodide which was used After Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Disaster to Protect Public Health: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_iodide

Website: March 12, 2011 Information "...Potassium iodide's (KI) value as a radiation protective (thyroid blocking) agent was demonstrated at the time of the Chernobyl nuclear accident when Soviet authorities distributed it in a 30 km zone around the plant. The purpose was to protect residents from radioactive iodine, a highly carcinogenic material found in nuclear reactors which had been released by the damaged reactor..." (Note:  Only protects from radioactive iodine.)

U.S. EPA March 12, 2011 - Information on Americium http://www.epa.gov/radiation/radionuclides/americium.html

U.S. EPA March 12, 2011 - Information on Cobalt http://www.epa.gov/radiation/radionuclides/cobalt.html

U.S. EPA March 12, 2011 - Information on Plutonium http://www.epa.gov/radiation/radionuclides/plutonium.html

U.S. EPA March 12, 2011 - Information on Radium http://www.epa.gov/radiation/radionuclides/plutonium.html

U.S. EPA March 12, 2011 - Information on Radon http://www.epa.gov/radiation/radionuclides/plutonium.html

U.S. EPA March 12, 2011 - Information on Technetium-99 http://www.epa.gov/radiation/radionuclides/plutonium.html

U.S. EPA March 12, 2011 - Information on Thorium http://www.epa.gov/radiation/radionuclides/thorium.html

U.S. EPA March 12, 2011 - Information on Uranium http://www.epa.gov/radiation/radionuclides/uranium.html

Rosalind Peterson
AgricultureDefenseCoalition.org,
CaliforniaSkywatch.com
info@californiaskywatch.org