In an interview with The Associated Press, Richardson cautioned that the findings are preliminary and won't be completed for several months. President Clinton ordered the review after the Energy Department concluded the government should compensate workers who had developed an incurable lung disease because of exposure to beryllium, a material used in nuclear weapons production. Richardson and the White House wanted to determine if other nuclear weapons plant workers likewise should be compensated because of exposure to plutonium, uranium and a variety of radioactive or highly toxic substances. The interagency group reviewed dozens of epidemiological studies, raw health data and other documents, many of which in the past have been dismissed by the government. The draft report makes no conclusion on compensation, which will be examined in the coming months.
Recommendations are likely in the final report.
Clinton will use the final report to develop a recommendation to Congress, which is responsible for providing the money. Compensation is not Anderson's prime concern. I avoid that kind of talk at this point. I think we need to make sure that we are not doing the things that make people ill in any facility. At least one Burlington attorney, however, is contacting former workers and considering filing a class action lawuit against the government.