Re[2]: Bill in Congress

[Elizabeth Algutifan <elizabeth_algutifan@wssrap-host.wssrap.com>]

Liz, I was thinking the same thing. Here at Weldon Spring (yes, we are in
Missouri, not Maryland), up until a few years ago, we badged anyone who had
HAZWOPER training and might set foot in the controlled area. Measurable external
doses have been rare. Nowadays, we badge very few employees but monitor many of
them via air monitoring and bioassay. 

What I find interesting is how the bill blames the Department of Energy for
unfairly placing the burden of proof of harm upon workers, but if this bill were
to become law, no one would have to prove anything except a diagnosis of cancer.
What about someone having to prove that it is the job that caused the cancer,
not the cigarettes or the fatty foods or genetics or whatever else? 

This bill, I think, is likely to set off major debate in Congress about the LNTH
with the bill's sponsors on one side of the issue and Domenici et al. on the
other. Should be interesting to see if things finally come to a head.

Elizabeth Algutifan, CHP
Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project
St. Charles, Missouri
Elizabeth_Algutifan@wssrap-host.wssrap.com
 

____________________Reply Separator____________________
Subject:    Re: Bill in Congress 
Author: <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Date:       03/10/2000 1:57 PM

I know there's a Weldon Springs site in St. Charles, Missouri.  Is there
also a Weldon Spring in Maryland (and what was done there, if so), or is
this a mistake?

I notice there's no provision for dose.  Are they intending to give money
to anyone who was ever monitored (or "should have been") at a DOE facility
and gets cancer?   Very interesting, if so.  In the past we badged everyone
in Oak Ridge even if it wasn't required according to the regulations. A
major part of the justification was that, in the event of a lawsuit, it was
better to have records showing no dose rather than having no record for the
individual.  Apparently that logic was flawed!

Liz Brackett

>
>A BILL
>To establish a compensation program for Department of Energy employees 
>injured in Federal nuclear activities. 
>
>Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States 
>of America in Congress assembled,
>
>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
>
>This Act may be cited as the `Department of Energy Nuclear Employees
Exposure 
>Compensation Act'.
>
    <snip>

>SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
>
>For purposes of this Act:
>
>(1) DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY- The term `Department of Energy' includes the 
>predecessor agencies of the Department.
>
>(2) DOE NUCLEAR EMPLOYEE- The term DOE nuclear employee` means an individual 
>employed by--
>
>(A) the Department of Energy;
>
>(B) an entity that contracted with the Department of Energy to provide 
>management and operations, management and integration, production, testing, 
>research, development, environmental remediation, or waste management at 
>facilities at locations, including the following:
>
>(i) Portsmouth, Ohio;
>
>(ii) Paducah, Kentucky.
>
>(iii) O.R. K-25, Tennessee;
>
>(iv) O.R. Y-12, Tennessee;
>
>(v) O.R. X-10, Tennessee;
>
>(vi) Hanford, Washington;
>
>(vii) Idaho National Engineering Laboratory;
>
>(viii) Rocky Flats, Colorado;
>
>(ix) Fernald, Ohio;
>
>(x) Miamisburg, Ohio;
>
>(xi) Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico;
>
>(xii) Pinellas, Florida;
>
>(xiii) Pantex, Texas;
>
>(xiv) Nevada Test Site;
>
>(xv) Brookhaven, New York;
>
>(xvi) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory;
>
>(xvii) Sandia National Laboratory, New Mexico
>
>(xviii) Burlington, Iowa;
>
>(xix) Fermi Nuclear Facility, Illinois;
>
>(xx) Weldon Spring, Maryland; or
>
>(xxi) Savannah River, South Carolina
>
>(xxii) Argonne National Lab, Illinois
>
>(C) a supplier that supplied uranium conversion or manufacturing services, 
>including Allied Signal Facility in Metropolis, Illinois, Nuclear Fuels 
>Services in Erwin, Tennessee, Linde Air Products, Tonowanda, New York, and 
>Reactive Metals in Ashtabula, Ohio.
>
   <remainder deleted>


******************************
  Elizabeth M. Brackett, CHP 
     Sr. Health Physicist     
     MJW Corporation, Inc.       
       (330) 644-3757        
  mailto:brackett@bright.net 
******************************
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