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ADVISORY BOARD ON RADIATION AND WORKER HEALTH 

4676 Columbia Parkway, MS: C-46 

Cincinnati, Ohio 45226 

(513) 533-6825 

CHAIRMAN 

James M. Melius, M.D., Dr. PH. 

Albany, New York 

MEMBERS 

Henry Anderson, M.D. 

Madison, Wisconsin 

Josie Beach 

Kennewick, Washington 

Bradley P. Clawson 

Rexburg, Idaho 

R. William Field, Ph.D. 

Iowa City, Iowa 

Michael H. Gibson 

Franklin, Ohio 

Mark A. Griffon 

Salem, New Hampshire 

Richard Lemen, Ph.D. 

Canton, Georgia 

James E. Lockey, M.D. 

Cincinnati, Ohio 

Wanda I. Munn 

Richland, Washington 

John W. Poston, Sr., Ph.D. 

College Station, Texas 

Robert W. Presley 

Seymour, Tennessee 

David B. Richardson, Ph.D. 

Chapel Hill, North Carolina 

Genevieve S. Roessler, Ph.D. 

Elysian, Minnesota 

Phillip Schofield

Bosque Farm, New Mexico 

Paul L. Ziemer, Ph.D. 

Lafayette, Indiana 

STAFF 

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY 

Theodore M. Katz, MPA 

Atlanta, Georgia 

COMMITTEE MANAGEMENT 

Zaida Burgos 

Atlanta, Georgia 

November 17, 2011 

The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius 

S ecretary 

Department of Health and Human Services 

200 Independence Avenue, S.W. 

Washington, D.C. 20201 

Dear Madam Secretary: 

The Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health (The Board) has evaluated

Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) Petition 00068 concerning workers at the 

Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, under the statutory requirements established 

by the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 

2000 (EEOICPA) and incorporated into 42 CFR Sec. 83.13. 

The Board respectfully recommends that SEC status be accorded to 

“All employees of the Department of Energy, its predecessor agencies, 

and their contractors and subcontractors who worked at the Pantex 

Plant in Amarillo, Texas, during the period from January 1, 1958 through 

December 31, 1983, for a number of work days aggregating at least 250 

work days, occurring either solely under this employment or in 

combination with work days within the parameters established for one or 

more other classes of employees included in the SEC.” 

This recommendation is based on the following factors: 

• Individuals working at Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas during the time 

period in question worked on the production of materials for nuclear 

weapons. 

• The Board’s review of available monitoring data as well as available 

process and source term information for various production activities at 

the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, found that NIOSH lacked adequate 

information necessary to complete individual dose reconstructions with 

sufficient accuracy for internal radiological exposures due to uranium 

during the time period in question. 

• The Board determined that health may have been endangered for these 

Pantex Plant employees during the time period in question. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

The Secretary November 17, 2011 

Based on these considerations and the discussion at the August 23 to 25, 2011 Board 

meeting, and the October 20, 2011, Board teleconference, the Board recommends that this 

class be added to the SEC. 

Enclosed is the documentation from the Board meeting(s) where this SEC class was 

discussed. The documentation includes copies of the petition, the NIOSH review thereof, and 

related materials. If any of these items are unavailable at this time, they will follow shortly. 

Sincerely, 

[Signature on file] 

James M. Melius, M.D., Dr. PH 

Chairman, ABRWH 

Enclosure