To the Editor of the Tennessean:

Re: The Special Section on Illness around DOE sites

Once again, it was thrilling to see the truth in print!  It seems to happen
so infrequently.  The Tennessean has pushed the envelope, taken a risk, and
hopefully opened more eyes.

I want your readers to be aware of several things.  My group, the Coalition
for a Healthy Environment, has members who have met over the past 5 years
with Surgeon General David Satcher, former Assisant DOE Secretary Tara
O'Toole, CDC Director Barry Johnson, the Vice President's advisors, Federal
Environmental Executive Katy McGinty's office, and many of elected and
public officials.  We have been repeatedly ignored.

Also, our members made many recommendations to Lockheed Martin management
about scientifically investigating our issues through testing and sampling.
 We were ignored.  DOE forced LM to hire physicians to study us, and two
years later, we still have no answers. More importantly, we have no
treatment for our illnesses. We cannot get our insurance to pay for
appropriate testing and treatment.   LM and other large corporations are
"self-insured," and, in LM's case, the money flows from DOE to LM to the
medical insurance companies.  All it would take is a phone call from DOE to
help us.

We don't need the CDC to do epidemiology.  We don't need the ATSDR to do
their brand of bogus science.  Neither of these agencies has helped a
community deal with its health problems.  We don't need DOE to say "no one
could be hurt; we are always in compliance; we will take 'appropriate
action' if it is warranted."  These are lies and bureaucractic nonsense.
There are appropriately credentialed and independent physicians ready to
come to our aid.  Money is the limiting factor. 

A crucial point to be made is that any "solution" crafted by the Federal
agencies will be invalid without the participation of the affected people.
We have the knowledge and expertise to be worthwhile contributors to any
decisions that will be made about us. But more important, including us is
the only just thing to do.

Hats off to Laura Frank and Susan Thomas for ferreting out the ill people
at the other DOE sites.  Did you know that Oak Ridge is the only site that
has a community-based organization (primarily composed of ill workers and
residents) whose only focus is health and the environment?  It is "nice"
for the national organizations who have large bank accounts and paid staff
to be quoted in the media, but remember, they have DONE NOTHING to help to
a single ill person!

Janet Michel
Coalition for a Healthy Environment
Knoxville, TN