Overview

The Radiation and Public Health Project (RPHP) is a nonprofit educational and scientific organization, established by scientists and physicians dedicated to understanding the relationships between nuclear radiation and public health. One of its primary goals is to encourage the interchange of ideas and contacts among people engaged in radiation health effects research or otherwise interested in the field. Thus one emphasis of RPHP is sponsoring and conducting meetings, lectures and symposia for persons interested in research related to the health effects of radiation.

RPHP's mission includes:

• Research: Studying the links between low-level radiation and world-wide increases in diseases, especially cancer and those affecting the newborn and children and to become the leading, world-wide source of information on radiation and public health issues.
  
  
• Education: Publishing the results of research dealing with the impact of low-level radiation on public health and to disseminate this information to the public, media, policy makers and the scientific community.
  
  
• Public awareness: Promoting public awareness and responsible public policy related to radiation and public health, in the areas of freedom of information...objective medical and scientific investigation... institutional accountability...independent oversight...and responsible public health and environmental policy.

Current Educational Campaigns

Oyster Creek Educational Campaign

On February 20, 2008, RPHP Executive Director Joseph Mangano joined a panel discussion in Toms River NJ on health risks of the Oyster Creek nuclear reactor.

This public forum addressed the issue of the health risks of extending the license for the Oyster Creek nuclear plant, allowing it to continue running for 20 more years. The event, attended by 300 people, was sponsored by the Ocean County NJ League of Women Voters. Other speakers beside Joseph Mangano were actor and activist Alec Baldwin, League President Gail Saxer, Dr. Donald Louria of the New Jersey Medical School, and Richard Webster of the Eastern Environmental Law Center.
Click here for a transcript of Mangano’s presentation
Click here for an article in the Asbury Park Press
Click here for photographs of the event
Click here for the Press Release.
Click here to read the article: Baldwin on Oyster Creek: "This is a truly complicated issue"

On January 1, 2007, RPHP initiated its educational campaign to inform the public and officials about the health risks posed by the Oyster Creek nuclear facility.

Oyster Creek, located just south of Toms River NJ, is the oldest of 104 U.S. reactors. It began operating in 1969, and its 40 year license expires on April 9, 2009. Recently, the AmerGen Corporation (which owns and operates Oyster Creek) applied to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, asking for a 20 year extension of the reactor’s license. If the application is granted, Oyster Creek could operate until 2029; if denied, Oyster Creek would close permanently.

RPHP selected Oyster Creek for an educational campaign based upon extensive research by RPHP showing that compared to other reactors, Oyster Creek has had high levels of radioactive emissions, and additionally, has over 4 million people living within 50 miles of the plant.

Click here to read about our New Jersey campaign
Press Conference and Report Release
RPHP Newspaper Editorials and Coverage
Public Testimony
Progress on License Extension Decision
Opinions of Elected Officials on Oyster Creek

Public Health Risks Of Extending Licenses Of The Indian Point 2 and 3 Nuclear Reactors

Press Conference May 13, 2008 at Westport CT

On May 13, 2008, RPHP held a press conference on health risks of Indian Point to Fairfield County CT, releasing a new report on the health risks Indian Point poses to Connecticut. Speakers included Joseph Mangano, Connecticut activist and breast cancer survivor Gail Merrill, and Fairfield Town official Larry Kaley.

Fairfield County has the highest average Strontium-90 level in baby teeth in the New York metropolitan area (except for the New York Counties closest to Indian Point). It also has a child cancer death rate above the U.S. average, even though all other causes of death in local children are below average.

Clcik here to read the executive summary.
Clcik here to read the report.

The event, held in Westport CT, drew coverage from at least seven Connecticut and New York media.

• Channel 12 Connecticut
• WCBS-AM all news radio in NYC
• The Stamford Advocate (Click here to read)
• The Hour (Norwalk CT) (Click here to read)
• Westport News (Click here to read)
• Westport Now (Click here to read)
• WFUV-FM radio NYC

Press Conference in New York City

On November 12, 2007, RPHP released a detailed report on the health threats posed by the Indian Point nuclear plant at a press conference in New York City. The report contains much original research by RPHP on radioactive contamination from Indian Point, and on unexpectedly high cancer rates near the plant.

The Indian Point nuclear plant, 35 miles north of midtown Manhattan, has three reactors, two of which remain in operation. Entergy Nuclear, which operates the plant, has requested that the federal government extend the operating licenses of the two reactors for 20 additional years beyond their 2013 and 2015 expiration dates.

To date, federal officials have not acknowledged any public health risks of license extension at Indian Point. This report explores risks from extending the Indian Point licenses.

Continued operation of Indian Point raises the risk of radioactivity exposure in two ways.

Click here to read the Executive Summary of RPHP's report on Indian Point
Click here to read the entire report

Press coverage: The press conference, releasing the report to the public, was reported by NBC Nightly News, CBS-2 TV NYC, NBC-4 TV NYC, Fox-5 TV NYC, ABC-7 TV NYC, New York One TV, News-12 Westchester, WCBS-880 radio NYC, Columbia University radio NYC, Metro Network (WABC, WOR radio) NYC, Westchester Journal News and The New York Post.
Click here to read The coverage by the Westchester Journal News