West Coast earthquake predictions plus Hanford nuclear waste leaks offer frightening scenario

Hanford Atomic Plant

Carol Forsloff----Two recent reports from the news, and from citizen organizations, underline the terrible and real possibility that a widespread area of the West Coast, from California to Canada, can be devastated by a combination of earthquakes and nuclear waste leaks.

Hanford Nuclear Plant, the site of much of the research and development of the nation's nuclear arsenal, has waste tanks that are leaking.  The leaks threaten the natural environment, but coupled with the reality of a real earthquake, that is said to be a when not and if possibility,  with deadly consequences.

Already scientists are concerned enough about the earthquakes predicted on the West Coast, that they are offering maps of what they consider will be the most affected areas.  Earthquakes are a real possibility near the Hanford site.  Some scientists declare Hanford to be the most dangerous place on earth.

These two stories, of great importance to the West Coast of the United States, are touched upon in the mainstream press, mostly in the small towns surrounding Hanford or in Oregon, Washington and California, where earthquake predictions have become increasingly common.  But the acknowledgment of the dangers from the combined forces of nuclear waste, causing explosions, and the additional risk for earthquakes that could impact the nuclear plant,  and increase the dangers, is seldom brought out in detail to the American public.

The US government states it won't be until 2019 before the containment of nuclear waste is completed.  And the delays are exacerbated by the federal cutbacks from the lack of budget passage.   Although the conservative folks declare that the discussions about the federal budget's negative impacts were exaggerated, it turns out that physical safety might be the prime and urgent reason for both political parties in the United States to come together to "get it done", i.e. pass a budget so that serious risks to populated areas can be minimized, or aborted, by early containment of nuclear waste and preparation of the populace and protections as well referencing the upcoming earthquake(s).

A new report maintains "there is a 100 percent chance of a monster earthquake occurring in the region – but scientists don’t know when.

"This earthquake will hit us again," Kent Yu, an engineer and chairman of the commission, told lawmakers. "It's just a matter of how soon."