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response to the Pittsburg TMI study by TMI Alert
Eric Epstein wrote:
>
> Science for Sale:
> TMI and the University of Pittsburgh
>
> by Eric Joseph Epstein
>
> The University of Pittsburgh¹s most recent ³health study, released on
> Halloween, is essentially a recitation of discredited protocol and disputed
> data. Re-released on October 31, 2002, the Study actually acknowledged an
> increase in lymphatic and blood cancers among men. However, as in previous
> of University Pittsburgh Studies conducted by the same group of researchers,
> e.g., (Evelynn Talbott et al; 2000) (1), this survey relied on government
> and nuclear industry sponsored 'health studies' were completed in the early
> 1980s. These studies were based on inaccurate dose projections, did not
> factor data only available in 1985 regarding the severity and conditions of
> the partial-core meltdown at Three Mile Island Unit-2 (2) , and did not
> factor the prevailing weather conditions and wind patters in march-April,
> 1979.
>
> Nor did any of these studies evaluate the health impact to members of our
> community who defueled Three Mile Island. In fact, General Public Utilities
> choose not maintain a health or cancer registry, despite the fact, that
> from 1979-1989, 5,000 clean-up workers received 'measurable doses' of
> radiation exposure. (3)
>
> Moreover, the University of Pittsburgh¹s Study relied heavily on the much
> maligned Pennsylvania Department of Health¹s seventeen year-old survey
> released in September, 1985. That study¹s protocol was ridiculed and
> criticized by epidemiologists at Harvard (Dr. George Hutchison), and Penn
> State (Dr. Robert A Hultquist) for ³diluting² increases in cancer by
> ³expanding² the population base to include people living outside of ten-mile
> study-zone. (October; 1985). (4)
>
> 1
>
> A great deal of radiation was indeed released by the partial core melt
> at TMI. The President's commission estimated about 15 million curies of
> radiation were released into the atmosphere. A review of dose assessments,
> conducted by Dr. Jan Beyea, (National Audubon Society; 1984) (5) estimated
> that from 276 to 63,000 person-rem were delivered to the general
> population within 50 miles of TMI. More recently, David Lochbaum of the
> Union of Concern Scientists, estimated between 40 million curies and 100
> million curies escaped during the accident.
>
> For 11 days, in June-July, 1980, Met Ed illegally vented 43,000 curies
> of radioactive Krypton-85 (beta and gamma; 10 year half life) and other
> radioactive gasses into the environment without having scrubbers in place.
> (6)
> And by 1993, TMI-2 evaporated 2.3 million gallons of accident generated
> radioactive generated water, including tritium a radioactive form of
> hydrogen (half life; 12. 5 years), into the atmosphere despite legal
> objections from community-based organizations. (7)
>
> The plant's owners, co-defendants and insurers have paid over $80
> million in health, economic and evacuation claims, including a $1.1 million
> settlement for a baby born with Down's Syndrome. (8) In June 2000, the
> United States Supreme Court remanded 1,990 unsettled health suits from the
> TMI-accident back to Federal Court. (GPU v. Abrams; Dolan v. GPU.) (9)
>
> In August 1996, a study by the University of North Carolina-Chapel
> Hill, authored by Dr. Steven Wing, reviewed the Susser-Hatch study
> (Columbia University; 1991). Dr. Wing reported that "...there were reports
> of erythema, hair loss, vomiting, and pet death near TMI at the time of the
> accident...Accident doses were positively associated with cancer incidence.
> Associations were largest for leukemia, intermediate for lung cancer, and
> smallest for all cancers combined...Inhaled radionuclide contamination
> could differentially impact lung cancers, which show a clear dose-related
> increase." (10)
> 2
>
> Today, TMI-2 remains a high level radioactive waste in the middle of the
> Susquehanna River. There was no decommissioning fund established for TMI at
> the time of the accident. The site of the nation¹s worst commercial nuclear
> accident has not been decontaminated or decommissioned. There has not been a
> human entry in the basement of the reactor building since March, 1979...
> (11)
>
> Mr. Epstein is the Chairman of Three Mile Island Alert , Inc., a
> safe-energy
> organization based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and founded in 1977.
> http://wow.tmia.com.
>
> He is also the Coordinator of the EFMR Monitoring group, a
> non-partisan community based organization that monitors Peach Bottom and
> Three Mile Island nuclear generating stations.
> http://www.enviroweb.org/efmr/newsletters.html
>
> 3
>
> End Notes
>
> 1 Environment Health Perspectives, June , 2000.
>
> 2 On November 6, 1984, research conducted by the Department of Energy
> on reactor damage during the accident, indicates temperatures may have
> reached in excess of 4,800 degrees. In October 1985, removal of damaged fuel
> from TMI-2 began.
>
> 3 On April 11, 1984, William Pennsyl settled out-of-court two days
> before an administrative law judge was scheduled to hear his case relating
> to GPU¹s refusal to allow Pennsyl to wear a respirator during cleanup
> activities.
>
> By 1986, TMI-2 defueling work force peaks at 2,000, but by 1989,
> after ten years of defueling activities, 5,000 TMI workers have received
> ³measurable doses² of radiation exposure.
>
> 4 State¹s TMI study clouded by survey method doubts, Frank Lynch,
> ³Sunday Patriot-News², Front Page, Harrisburg, PA, October 6, 1985.
>
> 5 Study available from the TMI Public Health Fund, 16223 Locust
> Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103, #215-875-3926.
>
> 6 In November, 1980, the United States Court of Appeals for the
> District of Columbia ruled that the krypton venting (June-July ,1980) was
> illegal.
>
> 7 In 1980, the Susquehanna Valley Alliance, based in Lancaster,
> successfully prevented GPU/Met Ed from dumping 700,000 gallons of
> radioactive water into the Susquehanna River.
>
> Ten years later, in December 1990 , despite legal objections by
> TMI-Alert and the Susquehanna Valley Alliance, GPU began evaporating 2.3
> million gallons of accident-generated radioactive water (AGW).
> Continued on the following page...
> i
> By August, 1993, evaporation of 2.3 million gallons of AGW was completed
> over six months behind schedule. The evaporator was disassembled and removed
> from the site. And on October 28, 1993, according to the Pennsylvania
> Department of Environmental Resources, the total activity during evaporation
> was 658 curies of tritium or 1 to 1.3 MR dose to the public.
>
> 8 By 1985, TMI had paid at least $14 million for out-of-court settlements
> of personal injury lawsuits. The largest settlement was for a child born
> with Down¹s Syndrome. Most of the cases were ³sealed², and only those cases
> involving ³minors² are published as prescribed by the rules and regulations
> of Pennsylvania¹s Orphan¹s Court.
>
> 9 On June 12, 2000, he United States Supreme Court , without comment,
> rejected an appeal by GPU to throw out 1,990 health suits. On May 2, 2001,
> the Third Circuit Court ruled that ³new theories² to support medical claims
> against Three Mile Island will not be allowed.
>
> 10 New Study Shows Higher Cancer Rate near Three Mile Island Nuclear Power
> Reactor Meltdown.
>
> Researchers at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have
> published, in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives (February 24,
> 1997), a reevaluation of the health effects near Three Mile Island. They
> have found chromosomal damage and higher cancer rates than previously
> reported, suggesting radiation levels were higher than official estimates.
>
> Copies of the study may be requested at: #919-541-3345.
>
> 11 December, 1993, GPU placed TMI-2 in Post-Defueling Monitored Storage.
> On October 17, 2001, due to a ³credible threat² against Three Mile
> Island, the Harrisburg and Lancaster airports were closed for four hours,
> air travel was restricted in a 20-mile radius, and fighter jets were
> scrambled around TMI.
> ii
--
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Linwood, NJ 08221; 609-601-8583 or 609-601-8537; ncohen12@comcast.net UNPLUG
SALEM WEBSITE: http://www.unplugsalem.org/ COALITION FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
WEBSITE: http://www.coalitionforpeaceandjustice.org The Coalition for Peace
and Justice is a chapter of Peace Action.
"First they ignore you; Then they laugh at you; Then they fight you; Then you
win. (Gandhi) "Why walk when you can fly?" (Mary Chapin Carpenter)
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