In 1992, Eric Epstein reached a landmark settlement with GPU Nuclear to establish a state-of-the-art radiation monitoring system around Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant. He set up EFMR—named after his grandfather, Emanuel Fievish, and his uncle, Max Rosenberg—as a not-for-profit, nonpartisan organization to run the program.

This settlement and some subsequent legal actions have resulted in EFMR adding the area around the Peach Bottom nuclear plant in York County to its monitoring network, in the acquisition of new monitors, in some significant environmental guarantees from the utilities, and in a significant investment in robotic research by the utilities which has increased worker safety at the plants.

EFMR has also undertaken educational activities relating to energy production and use in Pennsylvania, initiated advocacy actions on behalf of the safety of nuclear plant neighbors including the evacuation of day care centers in emergency preparedness plans and the distribution of potassium iodide pills to the general public. The group has also intervened at the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission to protect the economic interests of Pennsylvania rate payers.

Based on studies of population concentrations, prevailing wind currents and Three Mile Island's technical specifications, the EFMR Monitoring Group installed real-time radiation monitors around the Three Mile Island nuclear power station.

The ST-10 monitors are connected to a central computer and send counts back every minute. The data is cryptographically signed by the radiation monitor and a receipt is kept for each transmission to prove its place and time of origin. The data is stored in a database on the server and can be accessed by any authorized computer.

If the radiation level exceeds a preset alarm level the administrator is alerted via text message. The software allows the data to be displayed as tables, graphs or readings on a diagram or map. The data can be viewed on a desktop computer, tablet, or smartphone.

The map below reflects average radiation counts based on recent ten minute intervals. At this writing our database contains over 5 million entries - one entry for each minute of each day for each radiation monitor. To load a live map, click on the image below. The live map will take about a minute to load.