[ RadSafe ] Welcome to the New Mexico Legislature Web Site

[Roger Helbig]

Here is the website about the New Mexico bill -- I just got this link.  I understand that State Senator Pino's staff may be able to provide additional information about who testified, etc.

Can any of you comment on the Journal of Environmental Radioactivity -- is this is a good source - it is cited as the reference for the health effects, none of which are known to have actually occured

 http://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/_session.asp?chamber=S&type=++&number=840&year=07

>From one of the links on this site -- 

Senate Bill 840 – Page 2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES 

Concerns have been raised that American military personnel have been exposed to depleted uranium from military weapons during the Middle East conflicts in the past two decades. These exposures may have some long-term health effects. 

Depleted uranium is widely used in the manufacture of heavy munitions and armor in many of the U.S. military and other western military’s weapons systems. The material is 1.7 times denser than lead, and provides an advantage when competing against more traditional materials. Dusts and particulates from these munitions exist in the air and on the ground in battlefield conditions. 

Exposure to aerosolized depleted uranium particulates has been thought to cause acute irreversible damage to kidney function and other organ damage when very high exposure levels occur.1There is usually an extended time period between an exposure to radioactive materials and the growth of related cancers, such as leukemia and other types.2

According to the Department of Health, there is health information on uranium exposure available on multiple websites including the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. However, developing targeted educational outreach, in language understandable by the lay person, would address specific concerns of veterans exposed to depleted uranium. 

RELATIONSHIP 

Senate Bill 840 relates to House Bill 736. House Bill 736 provides uranium training to veterans. Senate Bill 840 complements Senate Bill 841, which appropriates $200 thousand and seeks to establish a testing protocol, develop and establish a health registry, and contract with appropriate testing laboratories and coordinate affected parties in regard to voluntary testing program for military veterans who may have been exposed to depleted uranium. 

TECHNICAL ISSUES There is a substantial amount of available information regarding this issue in existence. The bill does not clarify whether the Veterans’ Services department would be responsible for producing information/ research on the depleted uranium, or whether they would be compiling existing research to distribute to affected veterans.

PD/nt 

1Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Properties, use and health effects of depleted uranium (DU): a general overview, 2-5-2002 
2Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Properties, use and health effects of depleted uranium (DU): a general overview, 2-5-2002