[ RadSafe ] Mangano: US Beta Levels Up 40% Since 1980

[Bob Shannon]

Excerpted paragraph from the editorial in the Brattleboro Reformer: 

<snip> Crist's claim contradicts what the federal Environmental Protection
Agency has found across the nation. The EPA measures levels of beta-emitting
radiation in rainwater each month at about 50 U.S. locations. Since the late
1980s, average beta levels have risen about 40 percent around the nation
(one can see reports on www.epa.gov/narel, environmental radiation data).
<snip>

I was intrigued to hear about a dramatic rise in gross beta activity in
rainwater so I decided to followed Mr. Mangano's invitation to take a look
at the referenced data. I accessed the database (downloaded all >10,000
gross beta results for precipitation at 67 different locations from the ten
different EPA regions since 1977 - an exercise in patience). 

I figured that the best way to start would be to check for a trend in the
data. I excluded all data prior 1990 (thus the time frame coincides with
that referenced) and normalized all the results for each location to the
earliest result from that location. I plotted all 6200+ normalized results
on a single chart and fit a trendline to the data. 

Based on my (admittedly quick and dirty) analysis of what appears to be the
same dataset used by Mr. Mangano, I would conclude that there is no evidence
of a positive trend, let alone indications of a 40% increase in gross beta
since the late 1980's. In fact, the fitted line trends slightly downward.
The slope is so negligible, though, that I would more fairly characterize it
as 'flat'. (Without spending more time doing statistics, I decided to let it
be at that.)  

Originally, I expected that if there was a change in Gross Beta results, the
result would possibly an artifact of changes in calibration nuclides, etc.,
over the years and that I might have to dig into the isotopic data to get a
more meaningful answer. 

For the time being though, I guess I won't invest any more time looking for
evidence to corroborate a trend that does not appear to exist. If I am
missing something, I still have a whole lot of data here. Let me know and I
can take a second run at the data. 


Bob Shannon
BobShannon91 at earthlink.net
Kaiser Analytical Management Services
Broomfield, Colorado
303-432-1137


-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl [mailto:radsafe-bounces at radlab.nl] On Behalf
Of Jim Hoerner
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 7:19 PM
To: Know_Nukes at yahoogroups.com
Cc: radsafe at radlab.nl
Subject: [ RadSafe ] Mangano: US Beta Levels Up 40% Since 1980

[Sorry if this has already been posted to RadSafe; I get the digest. I would

appreciate any solid debunking, which should probably be fairly easy since 
Mangano's calulator has been broken for a while. I don't have the time to do

it myself in the near future.  Thanks.  - JH]

Article Published: Tuesday, December 20, 2005 - 2:15:20 AM EST

Radiation levels measured in rainwater

Editor of the Reformer:
Vermont state health official Larry Crist is quoted as saying there has been

no increase in environmental radiation levels near the Vermont Yankee 
nuclear plant since the 1970s, when the plant opened ("Studies differ on 
radiation levels near VY," Reformer, Nov. 29).

Crist's claim contradicts what the federal Environmental Protection Agency 
has found across the nation. The EPA measures levels of beta-emitting 
radiation in rainwater each month at about 50 U.S. locations. Since the late

1980s, average beta levels have risen about 40 percent around the nation 
(one can see reports on www.epa.gov/narel, environmental radiation data).

While no EPA monitoring stations are located in Vermont, the closest ones 
are in Concord, N.H. and Hartford Conn., 50 and 60 miles from Vermont 
Yankee. Beta levels in both locations are increasing, similar to the nation.

The EPA finding that beta levels are rising corresponds to our research 
group's study of Strontium-90 in baby teeth, the levels of which jumped 
around the nation since the late 1980s.

Nuclear reactors in this country are aging, and being operated more of the 
time. Vermont Yankee, the 10th oldest of 103 U.S. reactors, has operated at 
95 percent of capacity in the past six years, versus only 83 percent before 
that. Meanwhile, cancer death rates in Windham County are rising even though

they are falling elsewhere in the state.

We need to understand whether running an old reactor like Vermont Yankee 
into the ground is putting more radiation into our environment and bodies 
and making us more likely to become cancer victims. Health officials like 
Crist need to present their results publicly, to better understand these 
crucial matters.

Joseph J. Mangano,

National Coordinator
Radiation and Public Health Project
Norristown, Pa., Dec. 5


http://www.reformer.com/Stories/0,1413,102~8855~3173752,00.html

--
Hold the door for the stranger behind you. When the driver in the adjacent 
lane signals to get over, slow down. Smile and say "hi" to the folks you 
pass on the sidewalk. Give blood. Volunteer.


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