RE: TFP update article, E Magazine

["Richard L. Hess" <lists@richardhess.com>]

Dear Dr. Somerville,



If I may play devil's advocate here:

>Mark O. Somerville Ph.D.

>Certified Health Physicist

>Registered Environmental Assessor

>Diablo Canyon Power Plant



One might say that you are not a disinterested party. Mr. Cohen is not a 

disinterested party as he has significant involvement in the Unplug Salem 

campaign and any bad press for a nuclear facility helps support his cause.



How do I as a lay person determine the truth of the matter?



We have all heard the old saying, that there are lies, damn lies, and 

statistics. And that, of course, can point to either side. The old saying 

doesn't favor one side or the other. In fact, we're seeing in the case of 

the Swedish Cell Phone study both sides claiming it as theirs.



I am sure that both you and Mr. Cohen are honest and sincere people. How do 

I make a decision and what information do I base it on?



What is the source of this 75% increase number? Obviously, each new press 

report can quote an erroneous previous press report. This is the danger of 

repeating an error (or a lie) often enough--it becomes perceived as the truth.



I'm actually considering retiring to Cambria in 15+ years, so this is of 

more than an idle intellectual curiosity for me.



As I said, my informal, inaccurate, and uncertifiable anecdotal survey 

makes me less worried about the current environmental effects of Diablo Canyon.



A 75% increase in serious childhood diseases is pretty scary. That sounds 

like almost double to someone reading this! But, since my survey 

contradicts that claim and supports your claim, I tend to believe your 

comment that the figure is incorrect.



Thanks for providing more information!



Cheers,



Richard



At 01:10 PM 9/13/2002 -0700, you wrote:

>For the record,

>The stated jump of childhood cancers in San Luis Obispo County is incorrect.

>This number has been used before by anti-nuclear groups.

>

>The cancer rate is actually lower in San Luis Obispo than the rest of the

>state.

>The true values come from the national cancer institute and the county

>health director.

>

>Mark O. Somerville Ph.D.

>Certified Health Physicist

>Registered Environmental Assessor

>Diablo Canyon Power Plant

>(805) 545-4007

>mailto: mos3@pge.com



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