History of RadNet

1945-1955

Approximately 80 above ground nuclear blasts are conducted during this period by the U.S., the Soviet Union, and Great Britain.

1956

Radiation Alert Network (RAN) is set up to provide an early alert for radiation fallout. When included in Environmental Radiation Ambient Monitoring Systems (abbreviated ERAMS, now RadNet) in 1973, RAN had 68 sampling stations spread across the United States.

1956-1958

Approximately 180 above ground nuclear blasts were conducted during this period by the U.S., the Soviet Union, and Great Britain.

1958

Great Britain conducts its last above ground nuclear blast.

1959

Executive Order 10831 and Public Law 86-373 issued, providing the legal basis for additional programs that eventually led to RadNet. Monitoring of radioactive fallout and environmental radiation became a responsibility of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW).

1960

Pasteurized Milk Network (PMN) was set up to monitor for radiation fallout in the human food chain. When brought into ERAMS (RadNet) in 1973, PMN had 63 sampling stations across the nation. Years later, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will monitor radiation in milk as part of its food safety responsibilities.

France conducted its first three above ground nuclear blasts. These were the only blasts reported for any country this year.

1961-1962

Approximately 100 above ground nuclear blasts were conducted during this period by the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

1963

The U.S. and the Soviet Union stopped above ground nuclear blasts, partly because of the Cuban Missile Crisis and resulting Limited Test Ban Treaty that prohibited underwater, atmospheric and outer space nuclear blasts.

1964

Tritium Surveillance System (TSS) was set up to monitor precipitation and tritium concentrations in major river systems downstream of selected nuclear facilities. When incorporated into ERAMS (RadNet) in 1973, TSS consisted of 8 monitoring stations.

People's Republic of China conducted its first above ground nuclear blast. This was the only above ground blast reported for any country that year.

1965-1967

Nine above ground nuclear blasts were conducted during this period by France and the People's Republic of China.

1967

TSS expanded to include drinking water and a larger network of surface water stations. The TSS consisted of 68 drinking water sampling stations and 39 surface water stations before being added to ERAMS (RadNet).

1968-1970

Three above ground nuclear blasts were conducted during this period by the People's Republic of China.

1970

1971-1973

1973

1974

Seven above ground nuclear blasts were conducted during this period by France and the People's Republic of China.

France conducted its last above ground nuclear blast.

1976-1978

1979

Electronic recording of ERAMS (RadNet) data began. It included individual sample analytical results in the ERAMS (RadNet) Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS).

Three Mile Island (U.S.) nuclear power plant - A cooling malfunction caused part of a reactor core to melt, resulting in a limited off-site release of radioactivity (INES Level 5).

Analysis of tritium (H-3) in milk ended.

1980

The People's Republic of China conducted its last above ground nuclear blast.

Saint-Laurent (France) nuclear power plant - A fuel rupture resulted in a minor off-site release of radioactivity (INES Level 4).

1982

1985

1986

1987

1996

1999

Surface water samplings ended (to avoid duplicating state sampling programs around nuclear facilities).

Tokaimura (Japan) nuclear fuel processing facility - A criticality accident results in a minor off-site release of radioactivity (INES Level 4).

2000

2001

2002

2005

2006

2011

2014

2016

2018