RE: Ukraine Orders Chernobyl Closed

[Bernard L Cohen <blc+@pitt.edu>]

On Wed, 29 Mar 2000, Franta, Jaroslav wrote:

> It is not helpful to hinge the
> future of the nuclear industry and an important element of the energy supply
> to a claim that low levels of radiation cause "negligible" damage or are
> even helpful. 

	--How about comparing the health effects of nuclear power and coal
burning? If we are to be so conservative about the harmful effects of
nuclear power --being careful to over-estimate rather than under-estimate
them --how about doing the same for coal burning. Even without this, it is
easy to show that every time a coal burning plant is built instead of a
nuclear plant, about 1000 people are condemned to an early death.
	But pointing this out has not worked. The public has not gotten
the message. They fear nuclear power because of LNT, even though LNT still
gives the above favorable comparison with coal-burning.

 Bernard L. Cohen
Physics Dept.
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Tel: (412)624-9245
Fax: (412)624-9163
e-mail: blc+@pitt.edu


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