[ RadSafe ] RPHP strikes again ...

Wed Jul 27 16:41:33 CDT 2005

Let's see - online in 87 and 89 and they see a rise in cancer deaths
beginning in 91 - medical nonsense.  The analysis shows an increase from age
1 to 19 of 2 to 4 - statistical nonsense.  And they state more than once
that this has all happened since Vogtle has put radioactivity into the
surrounding environment, but make no claim to have any samples or
measurements of radioactivity in the environment - analytical nonsense.

Business as usual.  I suspect there's a wealthy celebrity considering a
donation to the cause, and a new revelation was deemed appropriate.
"Further study" requires funding, after all, and you don't get that finding
if you can't establish that something needs studying.  So my conclusion is
that the press release is actually a sales pitch.

Bob Flood

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Hardeman [mailto:Jim_Hardeman at dnr.state.ga.us] 
Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2005 1:53 PM
To: radsafe at radlab.nl
Cc: Charles_Adams at doh.state.fl.us; harlan_keaton at doh.state.fl.us
Subject: [ RadSafe ] RPHP strikes again ...

Colleagues *

It seems that our friends Joe Mangano, Jay Gould and Ernest Sternglass,
Rosalie Bertell, John Gofman et al. with Radiation and Public Health Project
(aka "Standing for Truth against Radiation", the "Tooth Fairy Project",
etc.) are at it again ... this time at Plant Vogtle in Georgia.

In today's e-mail I received a copy of a media release, as reproduced below.

My office in the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (Environmental
Radiation Program) has been performing independent environmental monitoring
in the area around Savannah River Site (SRS) and Plant Vogtle since the
mid-1970's. With a few minor exceptions involving liquid effluents, we have
seen no radioactive materials in the environment that could be attributed to
the operation of Plant Vogtle.

I know some of you have had experience in dealing with these folks. Any
pointers would be GREATLY appreciated. Unless you think it would be helpful
for the list at large, please respond to my private e-mail.

To quote Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain) "there are lies, damned lies and
statistics".

Jim Hardeman, Manager
Environmental Radiation Program
Environmental Protection Division
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
4220 International Parkway, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30334
(404) 362-2675
Fax: (404) 362-2653
E-mail: Jim_Hardeman at dnr.state.ga.us

P.S. Please respond by e-mail, as I am out of the office until at least
Monday, August 8.

===========================================
Text of RPHP Media Release

DEATH RATES RISE IN BURKE COUNTY AFTER VOGTLE REACTORS STARTJoseph J.
Mangano, MPH MBA, July 20, 2005

"Introduction.  The Vogtle 1 and 2 nuclear reactors in Waynesboro Georgia
achieved initial criticality (began producing nuclear fission products) on
March 1, 1987 and March 9, 1989, respectively.  A few months after
criticality, the reactors went commercial, i.e. began producing electricity
for sale. No tracking has been done on health trends for persons living near
Vogtle since the plant began operations and added radioactivity to the local
environment.  A 1990 study by the National Cancer Institute on cancer near
nuclear plants covered only those reactors that began prior to 1982. By
using official mortality data on the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention web site (http://wonder.cdc.gov, underlying cause of death),
short-term and long-term trends in death rates for Burke County, where
Vogtle is located, have been examined.  Burke County has a population of
just under 23,000.  Just over half of its residents are black; its poverty
level is more than double state and national averages; and its educational
level are well below U.S. and Georgia standards.  Thus, Burke County can be
considered a high-risk area. Short Term Trends.  Burke County mortality for
the three years prior to plant startup (1985-87 were compared to the
following three years (1988-90).  The persons most susceptible to the
harmful effects of radiation exposure are infants, children, and young
adults.  The death rate jumped 70.1% (16 to 28 deaths) for age 0-1; 103.1%
(2 to 4 deaths) for age 1-19; and 78.6% (7 to 12 deaths) for age 20-34.  The
corresponding rates in Georgia were virtually unchanged. The sudden and
dramatic rise in deaths just after Vogtle began operating should be more
fully examined. Long Term Trends.  From 1982-90 to 1991-02, the death rate
from all cancers in Burke County rose 24.2%, while the same rate fell 1.4%
for Georgia.  The average number of cancer deaths among county residents,
which was about 34 in the 1980s is now 43.  Unusual rises occurred for both
white and black residents (Table 3).  Again, such an unusual change after
fission products were added to the environment should be followed."

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