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UNSCEAR Funding



Title: Message
In a recent issue of Nuclear News (ANS -- sometime since January -- I can't locate my back issues just now), I read that UNSCEAR has been dealt a severe budget cut.  In fact, there are not enough funds to cover a 2003 meeting of the Committee.  It's interesting to note that UNSCEAR is now the oldest standing committee of the UN General Assembly, but its funding is controlled by the UN Environmental Program (UNEP).  Since radiation issues are far down the list of current UNEP environmental concerns, it has fallen below the bureaucratic cut line.
 
If I recall correctly, they were funded at something like $50k (US), and it takes about $75k to cover the expenses of a single meeting -- not much when one considers the costs of airline fares, meeting venue, and support staff costs.
 
 
George J. Vargo, Ph.D., CHP
vargo@physicist.net
610-925-1954
610-925-5545 (fax)
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu [mailto:owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu] On Behalf Of John Jacobus
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2003 12:20 PM
To: JGinniver@AOL.COM; maury@webtexas.com
Cc: radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu
Subject: Re: Sydney Morning Herald says 5000 died of radiation at Chernobyl

A number of years ago the National Council of Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) was hit with a tremendous budgetary crises.  Routine government sponsors, like the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Dept of Energy, etc.,   Cut funding due to reductions in discressionary funding.  The NRC contracted for $50,000 instead of the usual $500,000.  (Or something like that)  My guess in the UNSCEAR is taking the same kind of hit. 
 
These actions have nothing to do with science (good or bad) but with government "business" practices.
 
By the way, the Chernobyl section can still be found at http://www.unscear.org/pdffiles/annexj.pdf

JGinniver@AOL.COM wrote:
I don't know what has happened to UNSCEAR (or my recent posting tot he list which took several days to come back to me through the list?)  But only the other day I was able to access this report on the URL I gave in my previous posting.  I would repeat it, but I deleted the posting when it got back to me.  I tried after recieving the original e-mail from Maury to access UNSCEAR from a search on Google, but I couldn't get into the site.  So any loss of the site must be very recent.  A serch on Goolgle does identify several other sitres where the Chernobyl information can be found.  I do have a copy of the original report in pdf format on my work computer, but (although I can't remember the exact file size) I suspect it is too large for an e-mail.

If anyone can shed any light on t! his I would be interested.  I recall from a presentation give by Norman Gentner?  the UNSCEAR secretary last year in Oxford that there was some concern then over continuing funding for this body of th UN.  Does anyone know any more detail on whether funding has been stopped for UNSCEAR?

Regards,
Julian


-- John
John Jacobus, MS
Certified Health Physicist
e-mail: crispy_bird@yahoo.com


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