SERVICE,
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eS %y ADVISORY BOARD ON RADIATION AND WORKER HEALTH
s 4676 Columbia Parkway, MS: C-46
Z Cincinnati, Ohio 45226
% (513) 533-6825

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May 24, 2006

The Honorable Michael O. Leavitt
Secretary of Health and Human Services

CHAIRMAN: :
Paul L. Ziemer, Ph.D. Department of Health and Human Services
Lafayette, Indiana 200 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20201
MEMBERS:

Dear Mr. Secretary:
Bradley P. Clawson

R 5 ° Bosh
aula The Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health (The Board) has

evaluated SEC Petition -00020 concerning workers at the Pacific Proving
Grounds under the statutory requirements established by EEOICPA and
Michael tt Suen incorporated into 42 CFR Sec. 83.13 (c) (1) and 42 CFR See. 83.13 (c) (3).

u The Board respectfully recommends a Special Exposure Cohort be accorded
to all Department of Energy (DOE) employees or its contractor or
subcontractor employees who worked at the Pacific Proving Ground (PPG)
from 1946 through 1962 who were monitored or should have been monitored
for exposure to ionizing radiation as a result of nuclear weapons testing at the
PPG and who were employed for a number of work days aggregating at least
250 work days, occurring under this employment or in combination with work
days of employment occurring within the parameters (excluding aggregate
work day requirements) established for other classes of employees included in
the SEC. This recommendation is based on the following factors:

Nashville, Tennessee

Mark A. Griffon
Salem, New Hampshire

James E. Lockey, M.D.
Cincinnati, Ohio

James M. Melius, M.D., Ph.D.
Albany, New York

Wanda |. Munn
Richland, Washington

Robert W. Presley
Clinton, Tennessee

Genevieve S. Roessler, Ph.D.

Elysiati; ifinesota These workers were employed during the testing of atomic weapons.

e There are significant limitations to the available monitoring data
collected at the Pacific Proving Grounds, particularly data needed for

STAFF: the accurate reconstruction of internal doses associated with the
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY: inhalation of radionuclides at the site. NIOSH concluded that the
= available information is not sufficient to document or estimate the
“hoeenbe’ potential maximum internal exposures to workers at the Pacific
Proving Grounds under plausible circumstances during the period of
COMMITTEE MANAGEMENT : AEC operations from 1946 to 1962. The Board concurs with this
conclusion.

LaShawn D. Shield : P . ‘ rion
Atlanta, Georgia - e The Board has reviewed information which confirms that radiation

exposures at the Pacific Proving Grounds during the time period in
question could have endangered the health of members of this class.


The Honorable Michael O. Leavitt May 24, 2006

The Board notes that many of the people who were employed at the Pacific Proving Ground during
the time period in question lived on site during their work periods. This should be considered during
the evaluation of their work duration.

The Board is still evaluating issues related to people who may have been exposed to radiation during
discrete incidents that could have involved exceptionally high exposures to radiation while working
at the Pacific Proving Ground (e.g., those who were present during the actual atomic bomb testing)
and who may not meet the 250 work day requirement described above. The Board will continue to
review this matter and may make future additional recommendations regarding this group.

Enclosed is supporting documentation from the recent Advisory Board Meetings held in Oak Ridge,
Tennessee and Denver, Colorado where this special exposure cohort petition was discussed. This
documentation includes transcripts of public comments on the petition, copies of the petition and the
NIOSH review thereof, and related documents distributed by NIOSH and the petitioners. If any of
these items are unavailable at this time, they will follow shortly.

Sincerely,

Paul L. Peer
Chairman

Encl.