Re: LNT,cabbages and kings

[William V Lipton <liptonw@DTEENERGY.COM>]

I second that.   My experience with rulemaking proceedings is that the

regulator is influenced as much by the number of comments on each side

of the issue, as by  the quality of the comments.  Each comment can be

considered a vote.  Thus, when BRC became an issue, the shear number of

negative comments influenced  the NRC to rescind this.



Hence, do not rely on your employer or your colleagues to submit

comments.  Your vote, i.e. comment, counts.



I sometimes prepare comments for submission by my employer.  When I do

this, I usually also submit the comments as personal comments; 2 votes

instead of 1, and it's legal!  Even if your comments are a copy of

someone elses, they will still count.



The opinions expressed are strictly mine.

It's not about dose, it's about trust.

Curies forever.



Bill Lipton

liptonw@dteenergy.com



BLHamrick@AOL.COM wrote:



>  In a message dated 9/24/2003 8:54:31 AM Pacific Standard Time,

> prestwic@mcmaster.ca writes:

>

>      So I think that the real tragedy has been the defeat of the

>      proposed

>      concept of Below

>      Regulatory Concern from the technical point of view, and

>      more broadly

>      the unwillingness to

>      claim that for all practical purposes there is a safe level

>      of

>      radiation.

>

> And, just to remind everyone there are a couple of rulemakings back on

> the table in this regard.  The professional community's input to these

> rulemakings will be invaluable. Information on the NRC's "Controlling

> the Disposition of Solid Materials."  Go to:

> http://ruleforum.llnl.gov/, scroll nearly to the bottom, and on the

> lefthand side click on "Information/Comment Requests."  It will take

> you to a page with pending rulemaking proposals.  This one should be

> at the top of the list. The EPA is also gearing up for a rulemaking,

> "Alternatives for Disposal of "Low-Activity" Radioactive Waste."

> Their information is at:

> http://www.epa.gov/radiation/news/lawr_comment.htm. Both these

> ventures are worthwhile, but will only be as valuable as the input

> they receive. Barbara