[CPEO-MEF] HEALTH, RADIATION: Legislation for Santa Susana Field Lab (CA) workers

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

Office of Sen. Dianne Feinstein
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, March 25, 2009 	

Senators Feinstein and Boxer Introduce Legislation Enabling Santa Susana 
Workers and Survivors to Receive Compensation For Illnesses Caused by 
Exposure to Radiation, Toxic Materials


Washington, DC - Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer (both 
D-Calif.) today introduced legislation that would enable former Santa 
Susana Field Laboratory workers or their survivors to receive 
compensation for illnesses caused by exposure to radiation and other 
toxic substances at the former nuclear and rocket test facility.

The Santa Susana Fair Compensation Act of 2009 would amend the Energy 
Employee Occupational Compensation Program, approved by Congress in 
1999. This earlier law provides compensation to workers who developed 
serious illnesses as a result of working for the Department of Energy.

Since 2000, more than 600 former Santa Susana workers or their survivors 
have applied for benefits - mostly for cancers caused by exposure to 
radiation and other toxics. But only a few dozen claims have been granted.

The law currently requires that workers or survivors show that at least 
50 percent of the claimed illnesses are attributable to workplace 
exposure. This is virtually impossible in the cases of many former Santa 
Susana workers, because of inadequate record-keeping at the facility.

The legislation introduced by Senators Feinstein and Boxer would ensure 
that Santa Susana workers or their survivors are able to receive 
benefits under the Energy Employee Occupational Compensation Program; 
allow for benefits up to $250,000; and allow Santa Susana workers or 
their survivors, who have previously been denied benefits, to reapply 
for compensation and medical benefits.

"The Santa Susana Field Laboratory was an important national asset 
during the peak of the Cold War and the early days of America's space 
program," Senator Feinstein said. "Unfortunately, many of the workers 
serving their country there were exposed to dangerous levels of 
radiation and other toxic substances.

And, to add insult to injury, they or their survivors are unable to 
receive compensation simply because record keeping at the site was 
either poor or nonexistent. People who serve their country should not be 
denied medical benefits and other compensation because of poor 
record-keeping. This legislation will change that, and will ensure that 
these workers and their families are justly compensated."

Senator Boxer said, "This important bill cuts through the bureaucracy 
and red tape to give these people a fair shot at getting the help they 
are owed.  I look forward to working with my colleague Senator Feinstein 
to ensure that these workers and their families are treated fairly."

The Santa Susana Field Laboratory, located about 30 miles north of 
downtown Los Angeles, was founded in the 1940s. During the Cold War, it 
was used for the development and testing of nuclear reactors and 
powerful rockets, including those used in America's space and ballistic 
missile programs.

Over the years, Santa Susana was the site of numerous accidents, 
including fires that exposed workers to dangerous levels of radiation, 
and a nuclear reactor meltdown in 1959.

The Santa Susana Fair Compensation Act of 2009 would:

    * Amend Section 3621 of the Energy Employees Illness Compensation 
Program Act of 2000, to treat employees of Santa Susana Field Laboratory 
as members of the "Special Exposure Cohort" for purposes of qualifying 
for the Compensation Program;
    * Make individuals eligible for benefits if they worked at the 
Santa Susana Field Laboratory for at least 250 days and developed a 
serious illness known to be a result of exposure to radiation or other 
toxins at the Santa Susana Field Laboratory before January 1, 2009;
    * Provide lump sum payments of at least $150,000 to employees who 
contracted specific cancers from exposure to radiation, and up to 
$250,000 to employees exposed to toxic chemicals before January 1, 2009; and
    * Allow previously denied Santa Susana Field Laboratory claimants 
under the Energy Employees Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000 the 
opportunity to reapply for compensation and medical benefits.


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For the original press release, see
http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=NewsRoom.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=3fc84c05-5056-8059-768a-c7b13d06b022

--


Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org



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