Chernobyl Nuclear Accident Congressional Hearings Transcript

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Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Accident CIA, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Congressional, GAO, and Foreign Press Monitoring Files 4,010 pages of CIA, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Congressional, GAO, and foreign press monitoring files related to the Chernobyl Nuclear Accident. On Sunday April 26, 1986, at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant near Pripyat, Ukraine, reactor #4 exploded. For the 25 years from 1986 to 2011, this incident has been referred to as the world's worst nuclear power plant accident. THE ACCIDENT According to reports filed with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on April 25, 1986, technicians at the Chernobyl plant launched a poorly executed experiment to test the emergency electricity supply to one of its Soviet RBMK type design reactors. The test was meant to measure a turbogenerator's ability to provide in-house emergency power after shutting off its steam supply. During the experiment the technicians violated several rules in place for operating the reactor. During the experiment, the emergency shutdown system was turned off. The reactor was being operated with too many control rods withdrawn. These human errors, coupled with a design flaw that allowed reactor power to surge when uncontrolled steam generation began in the core, set up the conditions for the accident. A chain of events lasting 40 seconds occurred at 1:23 AM on April 26. The technicians operating the reactor put the reactor in an unstable condition, so reactor power increased rapidly when the experiment began. Subsequent analysis of the Soviet data by U.S. experts at the Department of Energy, suggests the power surge may have accelerated when the operators tried an emergency shutdown of the reactor. According to Soviet data, the energy released was, for a fraction of a second, 350 times the rated capacity of the reactor. This burst of energy resulted in an instantaneous and violent surge of heat and pressure, rupturing fuel channels and releasing steam that disrupted large portions of the core. The surge destroyed the core of reactor unit four, containing approximately 200 tons of nuclear fuel. Some of the shattered core material was propelled through the roof of the reactor building. The hot core material of reactor 4 started about 30 separate fires in the unit 4 reactor hall and turbine building, as well as on the roof of the adjoining unit 3. All but the main fire in the graphite moderator material still inside unit 4 were extinguished in a few hours. It was a day and a half before the people living in Pripyat were ordered to evacuate. The residents were told they would only be gone for several
Page 1: CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR ACCIDENT DOCUMENT
Page 6 and 7: days, so they left nearly everythin
Page 8 and 9: The 1986 Report of the U.S. Departm
Page 10: S. Hrg. 99-869 THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDE
Page 13 and 14: COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RES
Page 16 and 17: BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY THE CHERNOBYL
Page 18 and 19: statement of Senator J. Bennett Joh
Page 20 and 21: We will contiue to work to make nuc
Page 22 and 23: . - the foreign reactor market that
Page 24 and 25: STATEMENT OF HON. HOWARD M. METZENB
Page 26 and 27: 11 with the wrong report. He came u
Page 28 and 29: 13 The residents of the state of Oh
Page 30 and 31: 15 Yes, I am not satisfied with eve
Page 32 and 33: 17 We accomplished our work by coll
Page 34 and 35: 19 Senator Metzenbaum. Mr. Chairman
Page 36 and 37: 21 The work of the Task Force was t
Page 38 and 39: 23 On May 3 the State Department se
Page 40 and 41: 25 The first elevated levels of rad
Page 42 and 43: 27 8 Foreign data received suggeste
Page 44 and 45: 29 By way of comparison, you might
Page 46 and 47: 31 - 2 - around the world. In the i
Page 48 and 49: 33 4 - In addition to these meeting
Page 50 and 51: 35 - 6 radiological release mechani
Page 52: 37 DESCRIPTION OF THE CHERNOBYL SIT
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40 SIX OPERATING PUMPS (8 PUMPS TOT
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42 .'ill a* O > S 2s5Sg sxs.f 2-53
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46 10 I. 3 c o u .>$ «o
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48 12 H
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50 14 SUPPRESSION POOL ARRANGEMENT
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52 16 SOURCES OF ENVIRONMENTAL DATA
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54 18 EXTRAPOLATION FACTORS (BACK T
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56 20 FUTURE PLANS PREPARE REPORT I
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58 The Department's Nuclear Safety
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60 STATEMENT OF MARY L. WALKEK ASSI
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62 to minimize and manage risks so
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64 Third, the United States nuclear
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66 The priority the Department plac
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68 of the reactor core melted. Unli
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70 Introduction As a member of the
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72 questions concerning fuel behavi
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74 While each of these areas are pa
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76 promises to be able to demonstra
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78 The Chairman. Thank you. Dr. Bun
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80 The most important actions we ca
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82 Nonetheless, I will try to recou
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84 I doubt If I can today convert e
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86 All of our eggs are In the baske
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88 8 safety margins and more fall -
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90 10 The existing emergency planni
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92 12 Further, If we want to ensure
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94 14 never survive the kind of pro
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96 firmed, but at least suspected t
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The Chairman. If we were to 98 have
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100 2 THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, MR
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102 THE SOVIET UNION ALSO AGREED TH
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104 6 MR. CHAIRMAN, IT WILL DO US L
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106 12 tific developments. includin
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108 14 The participating States a^^
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no speculation in the press that it
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112 than the Soviet Union. They hav
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114 We find that as a glimmer that
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116 Mr. Denton. I don't have that a
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118 My next question is what is the
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120 Mr. Meyers. These are the Easte
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122 Los Anpeles Times, 5/22/86 Radi
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124 us trig au m ifistead of a u to
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126 have it go through a peer revie
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128 Mr. Meyers. Mr. Chairman, may I
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130 -2- The health assessment subgr
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— 132 and ask my questions. If he
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134 Mr. Denton. I do not think they
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136 Senator Melcher. To clarify you
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^ 138 human error then, leading to
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140 are 25 BWR units with Mark I co
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142 engineering safeguards for ther
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144 STATEMENT SUBMITTED FOR THE REC
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146 2 - Process Heat for the chemic
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. 148 - ^ THE HEAT IS TRANSPORTED B
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150 Senator Domenici. Mr. Taylor, w
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152 Of that, over the many, many ye
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154 statement to Senate Committee o
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. 156 have become vital and continu
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158 NRC and our industry to produce
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s" 160 on the facts and to ensure t
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. 162 the fuel elements and light w
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164 generations of RBMK designs to
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166 • Third, the design appears t
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168 and ramifications of flow and h
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— 170 Senator Domenici. Thank you
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172 Soon we will have seen a fivefo
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174 Testimony to the Energy and Nat
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176 o The June 1986 folder entitled
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178 Corporate Evaluations Evaluatio
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180 EVENT ANALYSIS AND INFORMATION
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182 accessible from remote terminal
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184 o INPO has also developed good
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186 Members of the full Board are l
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. 188 NATIONAL ACADEMY FOR NUCLEAR
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" 190 o In May and June of 1985, th
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192 identified during INPO evaluati
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194 increased awareness at all leve
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196 o Collective radiation exposure
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198 Establishment of these long-ter
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200 Senator Domenici. Thank you, ve
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202 STATEMENT SUBMITTED FOR THE REC
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. 204 -2- capacity, and has long be
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206 • 4- Temperature Stability Th
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208 In addition. It also appears th
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210 Senator Domenici. Thank you. Dr
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212 The billions of dollars per yea
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214 As a nuclear physicist who has
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216 industry and strong reaction fr
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218 -5- Nevertheless, despite our o
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220 Citizen groups are going to int
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] 222 -9- Footnotes and References
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224 THE BULLETIN OF THE ATOMIC SCIE
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226 clear power plants since 1975
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228 Jan Beyea, a physicist, is a se
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230 ... a filtered vent system coul
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232 It is possible that it will tak
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234 Senator Domenici. I appreciate
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APPENDIX Responses to Additional Co
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. . 239 A2 . As noted above, we wou
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241 QUESTION 1. Some people have sa
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243 QUESnON_l. (Continued) 3 - For
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245 QUESTION C.tt . What do we know
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247
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: 249 -S-Vi9S>-ftv\.S>6)N^>^ -^'S^V
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251 QUESTION 2. (Continued) - 2 - P
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253 fiU E S no N_2 . (Continued) -
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255 QUESTION 3 . Just to set the re
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257 QUESTION 5. If you were to choo
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259 2UEST|0N_5. (Continued; 3 - Fir
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261 SMilII2!!_Z- ^° "^ "°" ^^^^ ^
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263 SMilllO^l-^- You attended the I
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I A 265 QU E ST 1 N_ 1 , year ago,
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267 QUESTION 10. (Continued) 3 - in
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269 QUESTION 10. (Continued) - 5 Wi
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271 QUESTION 10. (Continued) - 7 su
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I 273 QUESTION 10. (Continued) - 9
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: i 275 QUESTION 11. (Continued) -
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277 QUESTION 12. (Continued) - 2 -
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279 QUESTION 1 2. (Continued) - 4 -
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281 UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATOR
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283 g U E S T 1 N 13. What are the
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I 285 POST-HEARING QUESTIONS AND AN
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287 2 maintained current. Computer
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289 QUESTIONS FROM CHAIRMAN JAMES A
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297 -2- Answer 7 (continued): posse
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299 -2- Answer 8 (continued): The S
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301 -2- Answer 9 (continued): The f
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303 Answer 10 j. -- xu (continued):
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305 nUESTION FROM CHAIRMAN JAMES A.
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307 QUESTION FROM CHAIRMAN JAMES A.
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309 Answer 14 (continued); 2. Early
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311 Answer 15 (continued): verifica
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313 -2- Answer 16 (continued): Desi
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315 -2- Answer 17 (continued): forc
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317 POST-HEARING QUESTIONS AND ANSW
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319 2 b. By legislation, existing D
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321 Question 3: Has the DOE designe
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, 323 JAMU A. WeCLUW. OAHO. CHAMHAN
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PROF. DR. RUDOLF SCHULTEN Direklor
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327 Questions from Senator Wallop 1
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329 i-ooi trnl Electric Power Resea
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: 331 J. A. McClure -2- July 08, 19
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333 J, A. McClure -4- July 08, 1986
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.. 335 ES, TUESDAY. JUNE 3. 1986 NE
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337 INPO RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS BY
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339 Answer: INPO's strength is in i
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SAN 341 SENATE COMMITT-E ON F'-'fm;
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343 Answer There is wide participat
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S. Hrg. 102-765 EFFECTS OF THE ACCI
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,,0S10H PUBUC UBRWV- COMMITTEE ON E
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EFFECTS OF THE ACCIDENT AT THE CHER
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It is clear that the remaining RBMK
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the Federal prosecutor of the USSR
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With growing urgency, the Ukrainian
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We did check soil samples and radia
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11 the cancer registry data in gene
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13 we are medical investigators and
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15 standard of medical diagnostic a
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17 nobyl. An American-Ukrainian Med
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19 The temperatures, however, were
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21 down on the kind of horizontal p
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23 those who got, shall we say, bla
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25 Well, in the May 1992 issue of t
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27 people just haven't complained a
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29 — physicians that come in. Bec
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31 tumor registries together. There
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33 like on the 1st of January 1995
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35 Ukraine, and two in Lithuania. T
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37 the training of the operators, e
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39 issue. The directions that the w
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41 Further, there is no easy way of
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43 I thank you for your attention.
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45 • WERs that have not been turn
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47 thank you for convening this hea
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I am am 49 INTRODUCTION My name is
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1 . 51 The Ukrainian Ministry of He
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53 information on the actual doses
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55 First, it is well known that wit
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57 1) The U.S. Government should in
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59 Level of malignant tumors of Lym
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61 Level of Malignant Diseases amon
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63 The Level of non-malignant hemat
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65 The Children of Chornobyl Relief
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2 67 TB8TIMOHT Of rr«d K, MattlMT,
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pnxlucing ihere 69 Pan H 4. Public
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• , t ( (iiiiiii i M 71 P«n H ev
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73 TESTIMONY OF WLADIMIR WERTELECKY
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. 75 education. The same comprehens
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77 Should epidemics and other medic
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. 79 Massive psychological effects
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81 American-Ukrainian Medical Scien
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83 circumstances in Ukraine, there
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85 flep:acaBHa AyMa yKpaiHM Kojieri
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I I 87 C.KHOliA (DMKl'AHUI Mxl'AIlK
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89 MiHiCTepCTBO OXOpOKH 3flopoB'a P
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. 91 m XAPKIBCbKA OBflACHA AEP>«AB
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93 U.S. Senate Committee on Environ
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95 What Happened The Chernobyl acci
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97 -? 15 U) (0 < Figure 1. Estimate
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99 form lava.' This material ran th
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101 V) S O aċo V) (A « aQ. 3 W f
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103 Unit 4 of ChernoSvt A'PP after
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105 3 O) (0 £ Q. O o
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107 •M E Mr -n. 136 \sss .4U>-^
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109 Natural processas of decay have
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Ill Clean up actions should be take
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113 those involved in 1986 and part
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115 Prepared Statement of Murray Fe
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117 with those who are classified a
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119 economies. Economic chaos and h
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121 Table 1.—Operating Reactors i
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123 FORMULA FOR FUNDING American as
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125 their transition to a new forms
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127 Table 1.—Cost Estimate—Cont
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129 Nuclear Materlai;s Management U
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131 Weeks Seven and Eight—Prelimi
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133 Four sets dictation and transcr
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. Develop 135 Ukrainian entrepreneu
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137 be achieved during the first ph
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139 tion measures. As required, the
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141 and services. The laboratory wi
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143 The reactor vessel, primary shi
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145 • fixation, • restrictions
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147 environmental compartment to an
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149 In order to plan for and accomp
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151 4.1.2.2 Ground Water Contaminat
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— 153 should provide direction on
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— 155 relative sensitivity of the
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. . and . . they 157 ( Prepared Sta
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. . and 159 generator. The result i
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161 5 mln hectares of agricultural
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' 163 Not only Ukraine, but the who
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165 taking forceful steps to help c
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167 late seventies." ^° Although t
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169 actors; this information gap ma
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171 To encourage this implementatio
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173 production is solid fuels, eith
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175 the energy efficiency of the ec
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177 ' Because closing costs will in
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. May BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY ..Hopki
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BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY 9999 U^/ 0275
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. 'HE LEGACY OF CHORNOBYL 1986 TO 1
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COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERAT
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THE LEGACY OF CHORNOBYI^1986 TO 199
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— The Helsinki Commission is very
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and its Belarus but any single coun
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Over 10 years after the events, I c
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Mr. Smith. Thank you very much, Mr.
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— 11 If you look at standardized
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13 births. We find it difficult to
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15 leagues have made a long-term co
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17 7's commitment? Of the assistanc
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19 burg is not too far. Greographic
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21 Mr. Smith. Dr. Feshbach, can you
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23 One of the problems with the Int
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25 Mr. KuzMA. There's quite a large
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— 27 bombardment of low-level rad
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29 are proposals that Kyiv be procl
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31 good people there, everywhere, a
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33 Only one percent of the territor
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35 an extent possible the consequen
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37 up of the Consequences of the Ac
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39 Ukrainian people realized that t
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41 presses the brake pedal to slow
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43 The "Sarcophagus" facility was t
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45 8 Rivers and lakes in the vicini
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47 10 According to maximum estimati
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49 12 Immediately after the acciden
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51 14 experienced radiation doses t
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53 16 ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES Over th
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55 18 LEGISLATION ON CHORNOBYL The
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57 20 children affected by the Cher
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59 22 - ensuring proper infrastruct
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61 24 private religious, non-profit
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63 26 environmental effects of radi
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65 STATEMENT BY ALEXANDER B. KUZMA
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67 uncontaminated. Two weeks ago, a
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69 towards other health concerns ex
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71 the enoimity of the task that li
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73 Testimony of Dt. Natalia Lakiza-
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75 About 5 mln people continue to l
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77 Changes in the childbearing func
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79 - a possible many-fold increase
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This is a U.S. Government publicati
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