Chernobyl Nuclear Accident Congressional Hearings Transcript

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113 those involved in 1986 and part of 1987. There are reports of increased death rates, but no completed scientific study is yet available to determine if any of the reported deaths are radiation related, or what doses were absorbed. The continual publicity on this Issue cannot be ignored, and it is important that a credible dose reconstruction and health survey be performed. This contributes to the next issue as well. Another issue today Is related to the level of distrust and confusion associated with the real and imagined radiation exposure of the public. This has Induced a massive "epidemic" of radiophobia. a fear of what the radiation may have done, but which is not yet manifest. This psychological effect is not to be ignored, because to the people it is very real, and fear is possitjiy Increasing as a result of misinfomnatlon. disinformation, lack of correct Icnowledge. etc. Reports of predicted extra cancer deaths from the accident have used a variety of models and assumptions. Basic to ail Is the fact that most late effects of radiation appear many years after exposure. and are yet to "be counted." In addition, the risk models for extra cases over the next 45 years or so predict anywhere from about several hundred to a third of a million. In discussing radiation risks, I choose to use a concept of risk increment. There is no dose so small as to have no associated risk, i.e.. there is no threshold of safety. That is. whatever a person's lifetime cancer risk may be. a dose of radiation adds an increment to it. A common value in western countries is that about one in five people die of cancer; the risk is 1 /5 or 20%. Assume that a radiation dose equal to 50 years of natural tiackground radiation increases ones cancer risk by 1%. i.e., about 1 % of the 20% cancer risk can lie ascril^ed to natural background radiation. This is about the value most responsible scientists seem to accept. With few exceptions, the thyroid being the dominant exception, almost no one in the Chernobyl down-wind areas received such a dose. Even the very best epidemiology study cannot distinguish between two such groups, no matter how large the groups studied. Therefore, we are faced with the problem of micro doses to mega populations, a situation where direct measurement can only confirm that the doses were small, but not that absolutely no health consequences resulted. My current conservative estinr^te is that no more than 5,000 to 10.000 additional cases could be caused by the acckJent; the same model also states that the possibility of zero extra cases is not ruled out statistically. The truth will likely lie in between, closer to zero than the upper value. But this is not a certainty; it is an estimate based on my understanding and evaluation of doses and risks. There f»ve been reports of a spectrum of alleged health "effects." most of which were likely not to have t>een caused by Chernobyl's radiation. The task of separating the real from the alleged Is formidable.
114 Only a careful, credible dose reconstruction and a set o( specific epidemiology studies wBI provide the evidence to put the issue into perspective. It is possible that there may be 'pockets' where a time-specific increase of leukemia may occur. There may be nrore cases of thyroW cancer in the afflicted areas, the result of doses completely delivered 5 years ago. It is not likely that there are many areas where people are now living, v^rtiere relocation is necessary to reduce the lifetime dose by a significant fraction of what has already tieen absortied. It is possible that almost everyone exposed has already received over 90% of their Chernobyl doses. Without further data and informatton. It is not possible to state whether this optimism is solidly founded. I can only end by stating that, other than what I've outlined above, the radiation doses from the accident are not expected to deliver any more surprises.
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CHERNOBYL NUCLEAR ACCIDENT DOCUMENT
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About BACM Research - PaperlessArch
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days, so they left nearly everythin
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The 1986 Report of the U.S. Departm
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S. Hrg. 99-869 THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDE
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COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RES
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BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY THE CHERNOBYL
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statement of Senator J. Bennett Joh
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We will contiue to work to make nuc
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. - the foreign reactor market that
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STATEMENT OF HON. HOWARD M. METZENB
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11 with the wrong report. He came u
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13 The residents of the state of Oh
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15 Yes, I am not satisfied with eve
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17 We accomplished our work by coll
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19 Senator Metzenbaum. Mr. Chairman
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21 The work of the Task Force was t
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23 On May 3 the State Department se
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25 The first elevated levels of rad
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27 8 Foreign data received suggeste
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29 By way of comparison, you might
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31 - 2 - around the world. In the i
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33 4 - In addition to these meeting
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35 - 6 radiological release mechani
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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
Page 432 and 433: 63 The Level of non-malignant hemat
Page 434 and 435: 65 The Children of Chornobyl Relief
Page 436 and 437: 2 67 TB8TIMOHT Of rr«d K, MattlMT,
Page 438 and 439: pnxlucing ihere 69 Pan H 4. Public
Page 440 and 441: • , t ( (iiiiiii i M 71 P«n H ev
Page 442 and 443: 73 TESTIMONY OF WLADIMIR WERTELECKY
Page 444 and 445: . 75 education. The same comprehens
Page 446 and 447: 77 Should epidemics and other medic
Page 448 and 449: . 79 Massive psychological effects
Page 450 and 451: 81 American-Ukrainian Medical Scien
Page 452 and 453: 83 circumstances in Ukraine, there
Page 454 and 455: 85 flep:acaBHa AyMa yKpaiHM Kojieri
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Page 458 and 459: 89 MiHiCTepCTBO OXOpOKH 3flopoB'a P
Page 460 and 461: . 91 m XAPKIBCbKA OBflACHA AEP>«AB
Page 462 and 463: 93 U.S. Senate Committee on Environ
Page 464 and 465: 95 What Happened The Chernobyl acci
Page 466 and 467: 97 -? 15 U) (0 < Figure 1. Estimate
Page 468 and 469: 99 form lava.' This material ran th
Page 470 and 471: 101 V) S O aċo V) (A « aQ. 3 W f
Page 472 and 473: 103 Unit 4 of ChernoSvt A'PP after
Page 474 and 475: 105 3 O) (0 £ Q. O o
Page 476 and 477: 107 •M E Mr -n. 136 \sss .4U>-^
Page 478 and 479: 109 Natural processas of decay have
Page 480 and 481: Ill Clean up actions should be take
Page 484 and 485: 115 Prepared Statement of Murray Fe
Page 486 and 487: 117 with those who are classified a
Page 488 and 489: 119 economies. Economic chaos and h
Page 490 and 491: 121 Table 1.—Operating Reactors i
Page 492 and 493: 123 FORMULA FOR FUNDING American as
Page 494 and 495: 125 their transition to a new forms
Page 496 and 497: 127 Table 1.—Cost Estimate—Cont
Page 498 and 499: 129 Nuclear Materlai;s Management U
Page 500 and 501: 131 Weeks Seven and Eight—Prelimi
Page 502 and 503: 133 Four sets dictation and transcr
Page 504 and 505: . Develop 135 Ukrainian entrepreneu
Page 506 and 507: 137 be achieved during the first ph
Page 508 and 509: 139 tion measures. As required, the
Page 510 and 511: 141 and services. The laboratory wi
Page 512 and 513: 143 The reactor vessel, primary shi
Page 514 and 515: 145 • fixation, • restrictions
Page 516 and 517: 147 environmental compartment to an
Page 518 and 519: 149 In order to plan for and accomp
Page 520 and 521: 151 4.1.2.2 Ground Water Contaminat
Page 522 and 523: — 153 should provide direction on
Page 524 and 525: — 155 relative sensitivity of the
Page 526 and 527: . . and . . they 157 ( Prepared Sta
Page 528 and 529: . . and 159 generator. The result i
Page 530 and 531: 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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