DOE health official to discuss radiation aid bill

Monday, Oct. 30, 2000 | 10:05 a.m.

Dr. David Michaels, the Department of Energy's top health official, will explain to Nevada Test Site workers Wednesday in Las Vegas how a radiation compensation bill passed by Congress could be improved next year.

The legislation is so vague, it has created fears among DOE workers and their families that the $25 million package won't cover the estimated 4,000 eligible employees. About 800 Test Site workers harmed by radiation, silica particles or beryllium exposure were expected to receive $150,000 each.

Michaels is scheduled to speak at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road.

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., invited the DOE's assistant secretary for the Office of Environment, Safety and Health to explain to Test Site workers how the legislation could be fixed next year.

Nevada's entire congressional delegation backed the compensation package.

Sens. Harry Reid and Richard Bryan, both D-Nev., slipped the Test Site workers back into the benefits package after House Republican leaders had pared coverage earlier in October.

The initial bill grew after hundreds of workers at DOE facilities in Paducah, Ky., and Oak Ridge, Tenn., complained of lung problems after exposure to particles from the heavy metal beryllium and silica.

Doctors have identified lung damage similar to asbestosis from dust in Test Site tunnels as well as other health problems.

President Clinton ordered a review of all DOE facilities earlier this year as more employees complained of various diseases ranging from cancer to lung disorders.

Hundreds of workers have been screened at no charge during the past three years in Las Vegas by the Boston University School of Public Health and the University of California, San Francisco.

A three-day screening scheduled for December was booked solid by August, said Sandi Medina, union project manager for the Southern Nevada Building and Construction Trades Council.

The next available medical screening available is set for March 8, 9 and 10, Medina said.

To schedule an appointment, contact Medina at (702) 636-8777, or toll free at (888) 636-8161 or by fax at (702) 636-8789.