Re: Dose Standard Setting

[BLHamrick@aol.com]

Christopher McKenney wrote:

<< > NCRP does not set the Federal Standards for permissible dose limits.
 The standards are set under the power of the former Federal Radiation
Council, whose powers were transferred to EPA when EPA was created.  EPA will
publish a draft rule based on recommendations by groups such NCRP and ICRP
but the standard is put through public comment.  After the standard goes
final, with any changes as necessary due to public comment, other Federal
Agencies will modify their implenting regulations (such as was done by the
revising of 10 CFR Part 20 to meet the new occupational dose limits and dose
methodologies set forth in the 1987 EPA dose standard).  These regulations
again are public rulemaking and may be commented on by the public.  At this
time, the EPA has not actually finalized (to
 my knowledge) the Federal Radiation Protection Guidance for Exposure to the
General Public it noticed in the Federal Register on December 23, 1994.  The
previous Standard setting for the Public was in 1960.> > 

Then Jim Muckerheide wrote:
 
 << Very interesting, Christopher. I agree. But this contradicts what I
 usually hear from the NRC, ie, "We aren't responsible for these
 (ludicrous, irresponsible) standards. We must conform to pronouncements
 of the ICRP, NCRP, and BEIR". (Of course: 1.NCRP says the opposite :-);
 and 2. NRC, EPA, DOE, and FDA pays the NCRP, and its Members, through
 "research" and academic and "training" programs $Millions/year! >>
 

Hmmmm....it couldn't be that no one wants to take responsibility, could it?

Barbara L. Hamrick,
speaking only for herself.

BLHamrick@aol.com