Thanks for publishing Catherine Hunter’s story, “The Foothills’ own Erin Brockovich on a mission,” on May 18, 2018.

I was glad it mentioned my current concerns about highly radioactive liquid being transported on the nation’s highways between Chalk River, Canada and the Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina. However, this is just one of the ways people can be exposed to radiation from nuclear operations.

There have been heinous results from the activities at the Savannah River Site, which continue to irradiate long after the reactors are shut down. For example, the half-life of plutonium, which is a fissionable by-product of nuclear energy production, is 24,100 years.

In the early years of SRS there were multiple accidents, which were kept secret. People in the area were not informed even to “close your windows because there’s going to be invisible, odorless radioactive gas and particulates floating from our reactors, which do not have any containment to keep them from getting to you!”

The truth about radioactivity has been suppressed for many years. We were and still are told lies.

All this time since the development of nuclear power plants, radioactive gasses and particulates and liquid have been released from those reactors not only because of accidents, but also other reasons, including routine venting — exposing the public, as well as the workers.

We in the Foothills are only 64 driving miles northeast of Oconee Nuclear Power Plant, which is downstream from a dam which could very well cause a Fukushima-style meltdown if it gives way.

It’s great to be able to share this information with you. We need to be concerned about the transportation of 150 truckloads of highly radioactive liquid waste through our state, on our highways, and I’m grateful that you published the May 18 article. 

We are trying to educate people about these issues on Facebook and elsewhere. I welcome a dialogue with anyone who wants to learn more.

Ruth Thomas,

Columbus