ML19263C642

Forwards 780721 Testimony of J Gofman as Limited Appearance Statement.Author Unable to Attend 790222 Hearing

ML19263C642
Person / Time
Site:	Salem
Issue date:	02/06/1979
From:	Lewis M AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
To:	Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel
References
NUDOCS 7902280403
Download: ML19263C642 (3)

Text

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Marvin I. Lewis

. EURLTC Dorryp"r,s., 6504 Bradf ord Terrace

"' UJUM Phila. PA 19149

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2-6-79.

Atomic Safety and Licensing Board USNRC Sirs:

In the matter of Docket No 50-272, Proposed Issuance of Amendment to Facility Operating License No DPR 70 , I submit the following testimony by Dr John Gofman on the 21st on July 1978 at the Nuclear Waste Forum in San Francisco as my limited appearance. /'

I cannot attend on the i{

22 orMarvin 23 ofI.Februany 1979 Lewis , A.B. as I must work.

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Enclosure:

The Only Rational Solution to the Problem of RADICACTIVE WASTE MAHaGE'4ENT. by John Gefman , M.D., Ph.D.

July 21, 1978.

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The Only Rational Solution w the Problem of RADIOACTIVE WASTE MANAGEMENT r# ~

by e c-N John W. Gofman, M.D., Ph.D. ??

July 21,1978 4 f 'g)[f.6E I

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Cn Testi.cn'/ at the g ,

Nuclear Waste Management Forum (San Francisco) of The U.S. Department of Energy My statement, supported by the technical exhibits attached, is that the only rational solution of the nuclear waste problem is the cessation of all nuclear power activities forthwith.

The very beginning of the nuclear fuel cycle, the mining and nilling of uranium, begins an inevitable process of conductina crereditated randce murder of citicens of the USA. The clanned releases in the operation ~' the nuclear reactors add to the premeditated randon rurder. The unclanned and clanned releases frcm all other astects cf the f ut 1 cycle---unknown and unknowable in extent---will sirply add to the randem-murder death toll.

That there is no safe arcunt of radiation expcsure, with respect te scratic and genetic damage, is new widely ccaceded. There is no place to hide from this fact on the claim of ignorance. The death process beJins with the first contact of ionizing radiaticn with the cenetic natorial of cells of humans. That the corpses will be there to count at a later date is inescapable.

It is, in my opinion, simply ludicrous to believe that the losses of radioactivity into the bicsphere on the way to the " bank", or ultimate repository, will conceivably be anywhere nearly gcod enough to avert a major increase in cur death rate. The effect could be large enough to wipe out the effect of all the public health advances of the past 25 years.

Using Professer Norman Rasmussen's approach (since he is the greatest Kaoh-(or-kkd beio cdds-maker I know), I estimate the p ut i chance of adequate containment of j(..." 0, 0 p%,g,,,,,,,h radioactive poisons---in their "

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handling before ultimate burial---is '

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about the same as the chance of a metecr striking this hearing room today. k i So I regard the ultimate p/

burial prcblem as one demonstrating 7 intelligence only if we are stupid /

encuch to create the radicactive garbage in the first instance.

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Ford and Pollard, of the Union of Concerned Scientists, have testified to Congress as follcws: " Control and isolate our radioactive poisons? The problem is manageable!"

"The question of possible criminal activities on the part of officials entrusted with protecting the public safety mast be resolved. As part of its background review of proposed nuclear licensing regulations, we therefore reccmcend that Ccngress request the Public Integrity Section of the Crininal Division of the U.S.

Department of Justice to carry out an investigation of the conduct of former AEC cf ficials, now NRC officials, to determine any role they may have had in a nuclear safety cover-up."

While I second that suggestion as a govd beginning, it does not address a far more serious question, namely the violation of a higher law in the conduct of premeditated random murders---politely known as

" health effects" - I am unaware of any Constitutional provision permitting the random murder of citizens, the nullification of their inalienable right to life, whether by the tens of thousands or at genocidal proportions. As you surely must know, the actual number of murders will be the result of the greatest crapshoot in history, with the victims being the U.S. citizens.

There already exists a body of principles which the USA has, on an historic occasion, acted upon in an international court. I refLr to the Nuremberg Principles. We should all lock forward, at the earliest possible moment, to the inplementation of these principles in our oy country, as we evaluate the personal responsiblity of those who insist upon conducting random, premeditated murder in the planning and executien of the nuclear power program.

I think the contemplation of the Nuremberg Principles should be your central guide in consideration of the nuclear waste prcblem.

E W 5 Exhibits Attached

1. Gofman, Jchn W., " Radiation Deses and Effects in a Nuclear Power Economy: Myths vs. Realities", Committee for Nuclear Responsibility Reoort 1976-2, April, 1976.

2. Gofman, John W., "The P'.utonium Controversy", Journal of the American Medical Association, Volume 236, 284-286, July 19, 1976.

3. Gofman, John W., "On the Way to the Bank, or Why There Will Never Be a Solution to the Radioactive Waste Problem", Comm-ittee for Nuclear Responsibility Report 1977-7, November, 1977.

Dr. Gofman is Professor Emeritus of Medical Physics, University of California at Berkeley, and is also Chairman of the Coccittee for Nuclear Responsibility. In this testimony, Dr. Gofman speaks for himself, of course.

Committee for Nuclear Responsibility, Inc.

P.O.B.11207. San Francisco. California 94101 "I c 96 hgEl 4 G +- -

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' I By Geoffrey Murphy. Reprinted from Minnesota PIRG's Statewatch, with his permission.