ALLIANCE OF NUCLEAR WORKER ADVOCACY GROUPS

Coalition for a Healthy Environment, Knoxville, TN, Harry Williams 865-693-7249

United Nuclear Weapons Workers, St. Louis, MO, Denise Brock 636-366-4428

Grassroots Organization of Sick Workers, Craig, CO, Terrie Barrie 970-824-2260
Tri-Valley CAREs (Communities Against a Radioactive Environment), Inga Olson 925-443-7148

April 21, 2005

Dr. Paul Ziemer, VIA FAX

Chairman

Advisory Board on Worker Radiation

Robert A. Taft Laboratories

MS-C34

4676 Columbia Parkway

Cincinnati, OH 45226

Dear Dr. Ziemer:

The Alliance of Nuclear Worker Advocacy Groups (ANWAG) finds the controversy surrounding the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant's (IAAP) petition to become a member of the Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) disturbing. While Mr.Larry Elliott of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) did state at the 2/9/05 meeting, "The revised site profile for Iowa is at DOE right now..." he did not explain how the revision of the site profile may affect the Board's deliberation of NIOSH's own recommendation to include IAAP in the SEC. The IAAP claimants do not deserve to be penalized because of this neglect. Nor does the Board deserve, as one member opined, to "be left in the dark."

We feel we need to ask the same question that both Senators Grassley and Harkins have asked: Does the revised site have sufficiently new data that would necessitate delaying a positive recommendation to the Secretary of Health and Human Services to include IAAP as a member of the SEC?

The Board discussed, during the 4/11/05 teleconference, that an item be placed on the agenda for the Cedar Rapids' meeting on 4/25/05 to discuss ways to avoid a recurrence of this problem. It is our opinion that NIOSH and the Board need only to follow the rules. Section 83.15 (e) of 42 CFR Part 83, Final Rule of Procedures for Designating Classes of Employees as Members of the Special Exposure Cohort states, "Upon the completion of NIOSH evaluations and deliberations of the Board concerning a petition, the Board will develop and transmit to the Secretary a report containing its recommendations." We feel this should be sufficient guidance.

This chain of events has made not only the claimants from IAAP but sick workers from across the country give up hope that the compensation, so justly deserved, will ever reach them. The credibility and public trust of NIOSH has reached a new low. It is possible, however, that this negative public perception be reversed and quite easily. The Board needs to stand by their original decision to accept IAAP's petition as a member of the SEC. The approval was made in good faith by the Board and should remain.

ANWAG appreciates the commitment of the Board and urges it to right this situation. Additionally, we wish to thank the members of the Board who allowed the public to listen in on the teleconference of 4/13/05, although this teleconference was not intended to be an open meeting.

Sincerely,

Terrie Barrie

For ANWAG members

175 Lewis Lane

Craig, CO 81625