Enc.

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

June 11, 2010

The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius

Secretary 

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

SEC Petition-00140 concerning workers at the University of Rochester Atomic 

Energy Project under the statutory requirements established by EEOICPA and 

incorporated into 42 CFR Sec. 83.13. The Board respectfully recommends a 

Special Exposure Cohort be accorded to all employees of the Department of 

Energy (DOE), its predecessor agencies, and its contractors and subcontractors 

who worked at the University of Rochester Atomic Energy Project in Rochester, 

New York, from September 1, 1943 through October 30, 1971, 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 of the other classes of employees in the SEC. 

This recommendation is based on the following factors:

• The University of Rochester Atomic Energy Project conducted research 

and technical projects related to the development and production of 

nuclear weapons. 

• NIOSH found that there was insufficient monitoring data or information 

on radiological operations at this facility in order to be able to complete 

accurate individual dose reconstructions for University of Rochester 

Atomic Energy Project employees during the time period in question. 

The Board concurs with this conclusion.

• The Board has reviewed information which confirms that radiation 

exposures at the University of Rochester Atomic Energy Project during 

the time period in question could have endangered the health of 

members of this class. 

Based on these considerations and the discussions held at our May 19 to 21, 

2010, Advisory Board meeting held in Niagara Falls, New York, the Board 

recommends that this Special Exposure Cohort petition be granted. 
The Honorable Kathleen Sebelius Page 2

Enclosed is the documentation from the Board meeting(s) where this Special Exposure Cohort 

class was discussed. The documentation includes transcripts of the deliberations, 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