David Lochbaum: My Pleasure Serving on GRIP's Board of Directors

Dave Lochbaum, 2005 at US  Nuclear Regulatory

Commission Meeting on Emergency Preparedness

 It was genuinely my pleasure to be appointed to the Board of Directors for the Gender and Radiation Impact Project (GRIP) following my retirement from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).

 My reasons for joining GRIP go back more than 25 years to a public meeting held in New Jersey near the Oyster Creek nuclear plant. At the time, I still worked as a consultant in the nuclear industry. The main speakers at this meeting were Paul Gunter and Mary Olson, then with the Nuclear Information and Resource Service (NIRS). The audience was a mix of workers at the plant very supportive of nuclear power and residents of the community quite skeptical, at best, of it.

 Mary, a trained biologist, fielded questions and comments from both sides. Some challenged her concerns about radiation; others seemed wishing that she would be even more blunt and forceful in her critical statements. Mary’s responses did not “play” to either contingent — she remained true to the scientific foundation for her positions. But what impressed me most was Mary’s response to a question that intimated that nuclear power decisions should best be left up to the experts. Mary replied that the best decisions were reached when the experts included biologists like herself, engineers, health physicists, lawyers, medical doctors, and citizens. Fuller participation produced better decisions and resulted in their broader acceptance.

 Months later, I began working for UCS in a building next door to NIRS’ offices. Because I focused on operating reactor issues, I often consulted with Mary about issues she monitored closely, like low-level radioactive waste, harm from radiation exposures, and the like. Those interactions reinforced the impression formed at the Oyster Creek meeting — Mary does the homework needed to soundly support her positions rather than taking short-cuts to preconceived notions.

 I first heard Mary speak about the issue that became GRIP’s mission — that women are more likely to be harmed than men when exposed to the same amounts of nuclear radiation — during an October 27, 2012, session at the Appalachian Public Interest Environmental Law (APIEL) conference in Knoxville, Tennessee.  As usual, Mary presented sound science in a clear and convincing manner.

 Mary left NIRS to launch GRIP. When she contacted me about interest in being nominated for the GRIP Board, it was an honor to say yes. That honor increased when a majority voted for my appointment to the Board.

 I am pleased to serve on GRIP’s Board for two prime reasons: (1) the mission is an important one, and (2) the methods are solid, pragmatic ones likely to achieve worthwhile outcomes.

 The science shows that females are more vulnerable to radiation harm than males. In other words, if exposed to the same amount and type of radiation, females are more likely experience harm than males. The federal limits on occupational and public exposure to radiation are the same for males and females; and those limits are based on adult males. The radiation exposure limit for adult males neither bounds nor protects the radiation risks for females, male children, and female children; the majority of the U.S. population. Achieving equal protection for so many folks is an important goal to pursue.

 While GRIP will continue to discuss the data showing this disparity, it seeks to have research conducted to identify the reason for the difference. Once the reasons are understood, appropriate solutions can be advocated. Defining the problem so as to develop the appropriate remedy is the right way to achieve the important goal.

 Pursing a righteous goal the right way is a great use of my time and energy. I am glad to work with Mary and the GRIP Board on this mission.

NOTE: Gender and Radiation Impact Project is a non-profit educational organization incorporated with IRS recognition under Section 501(c)(3). It is governed by a Board of Directors, and there are currently several seats open. Nominations are accepted from anyone, including the person themselves. In addition the organization is moving towards developing a Panel of Advisors to support its work. If you are interested in more information, please send an email to gender.radiation (at) gmail.com — [the break in the email is to prevent spam]. THANK YOU for your interest.