PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Janet Michel (865-966-5919)

Harry Williams (865-693-7249)

Jerry Tudor (865 494-9250

Janine Anderson (865) 370-0042

August 8, 2002

The Coalition for a Healthy Environment applauds - with reservation - DOE

policy change on worker compensation claims

The Coalition for a Healthy Environment applauds the recently announced

policy change by the United States Department of Energy which states in a

new rule that it will no longer fight worker compensation claims. The

change reverses decades of DOE and its contractors who spared no expense to

deny worker compensation claims. Often, DOE spent many more times than the

claim would have been.

However, this changes, as it applies to the Energy Employees Occupational

Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000 (and its amendments,) still does

nothing to correct a major flaw in the law. Under the law, those who are

found that their illness were caused by exposures to chemicals, metals, and

other hazardous materials do not have the same level of compensation as

those with silicosis, beryllium disease, specified cancer from gaseous

diffusion plants, or those are able to prove their cancer was caused by

radiation through a dose reconstruction.

Workers with "Other Toxic Exposures" must gather evidence and apply to

their respective state worker compensation programs. Most of the time, the

DOE-owned evidence is scanty, classified, or non-existent and those living

in "company towns" cannot find physicians to connect their illnesses to

their workplace. Every state differs in the amount of compensation. The

workers with the specified diseases receive $150,000 and relevant medical

care. This part of the law must be changed.

In 2000, Secretary Richardson, upon announcing the Administration_s draft

bill, stated that the burden of proof would not be on the workers, but the

law that passed did not incorporate this concept. Also, the amount of the

lump sum compensation should be increased, as $150,000 doesn_t begin to

cover the loss of career, family and social life, children_s education's

and more.

In addition, the dose reconstruction program should be scrapped, as records

are "flawed and inaccurate" by DOE_s own admission. Workers should be given

the benefit of the doubt and not have to wait years for their doses to be

estimated. The list of covered cancers is the shortest list after the

Japanese, the Marshall Islanders, the Atomic Veterans, and the Downwinders.

People were exposed to the same radioisotopes and the weapons sites_

workers were also exposed to 100_s of additional chemicals.

CHE is continuing to work for changes to the law to ensure fairness and

justice for all concerned.

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