NIOSH Reconstruction Western NY worthless

[NiagaraNet@AOL.COM]

Dear sincere Radsafers:



Whom ever did the historic document search and dose reconstruction for 

Bethlehem Steel in Lackawanna, New York, (yes, one in the same as the terrorists) 

and other sites around Western New York, should be horse whipped, tarred then 

feathered and run outta town on a rail. I am assuming that this "reconstruction" 

was done by the MJW Corp and the folks who didn't have a clue about Union 

Carbide's ElectroMetallurgical Works in Niagara Falls, NY. And YES Virginia, 

E-Met was the free world's largest production center for Uranium metal-from ore 

contrary to a previous (debate) that happened here last year with MJW 

"officials". 



I have reviewed the entire NIOSH report released last fall and have found 

GAPING HOLES in it. Inaccuracies and incomplete research seem to prevail--I guess 

you have to do something to "earn" your $20 million. Isn't that correct Mr. 

Dooley and company? Sorry for the name use, but I only call em as I see em! 

Someone pass the butter please?



Anyone care to debate this NIOSH reversal?

Sincerely,

Louis Ricciuti

Niagara Falls  Lewiston, NY

The Los Alamos east--Before there was Los Alamos, there was LOOW, 

The Lake Ontario Ordnance Works

email me:  NiagaraNet@aol.com

****

Agency reverses on N-workers' aid money 

By DOUGLAS TURNER 

News Washington Bureau Chief

3/23/2004  



WASHINGTON - The federal government has reversed itself on aid eligibility 

for Bethlehem Steel Corp. employees whose health suffered because they worked 



on nuclear materials at the Lackawanna facility. 

Payments of as much as $150,000 for hundreds of Western New Yorkers are at 

stake. 



A 2000 federal law offered compensation to those who worked on the weapons 

program from 1949 to 1952. 



But the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health said last 

November that there was the potential that workers could have suffered harm 

long 

after the nuclear weapons-related work ceased at the site. This offered hope 

to 

hundreds of workers whose applications had been denied because they did not 

work there between 1949 and 1952. 



Monday, however, the agency said that it made an "error" in November. 



An unsigned agency announcement said its November report will be corrected to 



state, "Records pertaining to Bethlehem Steel, Lackawanna, indicate there is 

little potential for significant residual contamination at the site after 

weapons-related operations ended there in 1952. 



"As a result of an inadvertent error, the report incorrectly said that a 

potential for residual contamination existed after 1952. NIOSH regrets any 

inconvenience that these changes to the report may cause." 



Rep. Jack F. Quinn, R-Hamburg, responding to the latest finding, said, 

"Hundreds of Bethlehem Steel workers and their families have relied on the 

contents 

of the (November) report to not only confront the reasons behind their 

illnesses, but also to create hope that they may be compensated for their 

illnesses." 



Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, D-Fairport, said, "I cannot fathom how a mistake 

this tragic was allowed to occur at a federal agency whose mission is to 

assist 

these harmed workers. NIOSH is making the unbelievable admission that it 

screwed up a report that was over a year late to Congress and has been 

sitting on 

their Web site since last November." 



Slaughter said she is calling on the agency to prove that the site was 

cleaned up. 



This may be difficult, however, because buildings where the work was 

conducted were razed years ago. 



The latest findings could undermine support for a bill introduced by Quinn to 



extend federal compensation to claimants who were employed by the plant after 



the nuclear weapons work was said to be finished. 



Slaughter and Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds, R-Clarence, are co-sponsors of the 

bill. 



As of Sept. 30, the end of the last fiscal year, only 138 of the 907 claims 

filed by former Bethlehem workers had been approved.