ML20112B971

Advises of TMI Public Health Fund Advisory Board Independent Confirmation of Aamodt Finding of Excess Cancer Mortality in Two Areas 5 Miles from TMI Site.Conclusions of Order CLI-84-22 Invalid.Served on 850110

ML20112B971
Person / Time
Site:	Three Mile Island
Issue date:	01/07/1985
From:	Cochran T National Resources Defense Council
To:	NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
References
CON-#185-006, CON-#185-6 SP, NUDOCS 8501100723
Download: ML20112B971 (2)

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Natural Resources Defense Council,Inc.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005 New York Ofice t% gg'estern Ofnce 12 2 EAST (2ND STREET 25 KEARNY STREET N E W Y O R K N.Y. 3 0 3 6 8 8 AN FR ANCISCO, CALIF. 94 308

• " " #5 #"5" January 7, 1985 M M 4 :04 G'Fl:E OF SECREi,w The Commissioners COCMCTI:f3 a Sggty,7':

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory BRANCH Commission Washington, D.C. 20555 SERVEc JAH 10 1985

Dear Commissioners:

' I am a member of the NRC's Advisory Panel on the Cleanup of TMI-2. I have not had the opportunity to discuss the contents of this' letter with others on the panel and therefore do not speak on their behalf.

At the panel's last meeting with you, we discussed briefly the Aamodt study -- the finding of an excess of cancers as a result of door-to-door interviews.with residents of two areas about five miles from the TMI site. Since our discussion, I have received a copy of your Order CLI-84-22, in the matter of Metropolitan Edison Company (TMI Unit 1) , Doc. No. 50-289-SP, in which a majority of the Commission concluded that "the Aamodts' informed survey is based entirely on recollections and opinions and has no scientific basis," and that this was'

" insufficient to raise serious questions about earlier studies."

You should be advised that the TMI Public Health Fund

~ Advisory Board, on which I also serve, has independently checked the Aamodt findings and confirmed the. excess cancer mortality found in the Aamodt study areas. We have identified the. death certificates of all but one of'the people reported to have died

- of cancer and have independently checked the Aamodts' estimate '

i of the total population in the study areas. We have not yet -

l checked the reported incidence of cancer among living people in th'e study area. I would be happy to tliscuss' 6u~r methodology

, with any.one of you or.your staff.

i-On the basis of our own independent an'alysis, it would be- I wrong to conclude that the'Aamodt results are groundless.

certainly there now is a scientific basis for concluding that there'may be.a large. excess in cancer mortality in the study l areas. j

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. The Commissioners Jan. 7, 1985 Page Two i

I do not know the statistical probability of finding such a high incidence of cancer in this small study population.

I do not know the cause of the excess, although I doubt it is TMI-related. Nevertheless, since your conclusions regarding the Aamodt results are not valid today, I urge you to reexamine this issue. Even if the excess is not TMI-related, surely you recognize how important it is for the Commission to take the lead in ensuring that more careful epidemiological study is undertaken and an effort is made to determine the cause of the excess.

Sincerely, Thomas B. Cochran cc: Mike Masnik, TMI Program Office for distribution to Advisory ' Panel members i-W e

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