Re: Power Plant Pollution Linked to 30,000 Premature Deaths

["Ted Rockwell" <tedrock@cpcug.org>]

> It's not a question of "orders" but of external pressure on an agency.

Ruth, et al:

Is there any question that a scientist is ethically obligated to resist
pressure to distort the data or the conclusions?  We deplore pressure from
the tobacco companies or the drug companies, and expect scientists to resist
such pressure.  Why is it any more difficult (or any less necessary) to
resist pressure from EPA or DOE or anti-nukes?  THEY are certainly not
reluctant to spin the data to their agenda.

Of course, none of us is perfect, and I'm not arguing otherwise.  I'm just
urging that we ought to agree on what we SHOULD do and be.  I don't
understand why there is any hesitancy to agree on that.  We can't insist
that the world be perfect, but we can certainly keep trying to do our part
of it right.

Radiation effects are not subject to Boyle's Law--that is, they do not
change with outside pressure.  The data show that low-dose radiation is not
harmful and may be helpful.  Ourside pressure cannot change that fact.  And
it should not make us change our willingness to declare it so.

Ted Rockwell


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