Physicians For Social Responsibility Inc

DESCRIPTION:THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO INVESTIGATE THE HEALTH AND RADIOLOGIC IMPACTS OF DECOMMISSIONING THE PILGRIM NUCLEAR POWER STATION IN PLYMOUTH, MA, ON THE NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES. IN THE U.S., THERE ARE MORE THAN 100 NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS THAT ARE EXPECTED TO BE DECOMMISSIONED IN THE NEXT 25-50 YEARS. VERY LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT COMMUNITY EXPOSURES AND RELATED HEALTH IMPACTS FROM NUCLEAR POWER PLANT DECOMMISSIONING. TO ADDRESS THESE UNCERTAINTIES AND COMMUNITY CONCERNS, THIS PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON AMBIENT LEVELS OF AND PERSONAL EXPOSURE TO PARTICLE RADIOACTIVITY, BOTH TO PROTECT THE HEALTH OF COMMUNITIES NEAR THE PILGRIM NUCLEAR POWER PLANT AND TO HELP INFORM THE SAFE DECOMMISSIONING OF NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS IN THE U.S. ACTIVITIES:THIS FUNDING WILL ALLOW THE GREATER BOSTON PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, TO (1) ESTABLISH THREE COMMUNITY-BASED AMBIENT RADIATION MONITORING SITES AND CONDUCT 12 MONTHS OF CONTINUOUS MONITORING FOR PARTICLE RADIOACTIVITY AND RADON, (2) ASSESS RESIDENTIAL AND INDIVIDUAL RADIONUCLIDE EXPOSURE VIA DUST SAMPLES, RADON MONITORING, AND URINE SAMPLES, (3) EVALUATE BIOMARKERS OF OXIDATIVE DAMAGE AND INFLAMMATION IN URINE AND BLOOD SAMPLES, AND (4) ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENT EXPERT REVIEW PANEL TO REVIEW THE FINDINGS, INTERPRET THE RESULTS, COMMUNICATE THOSE RESULTS TO COMMUNITIES, AND PROVIDE EVIDENCE-BASED PUBLIC HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS. SUBRECIPIENT:HARVARD SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH (KOUTRAKIS) - AMBIENT MONITORING SITE SETUP AND OPERATION, RESIDENTIAL AND INDIVIDUAL EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT, AND BIOMARKER ASSESSMENT OF OXIDATIVE DAMAGE AND INFLAMMATION VIA BLOOD AND URINE SAMPLES. ($594,500)OUTCOMES:DELIVERABLES FOR THIS PROJECT INCLUDE ANNUAL AND FINAL RESEARCH REPORTS. EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF AIRBORNE PARTICLE-BOUND RADIONUCLIDES FROM DECOMMISSIONING NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS, INCLUDING HUMAN EXPOSURES AND HEALTH RISKS TO COMMUNITIES NEAR SUCH PLANTS, AS WELL AS USEFUL INFORMATION FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES AND EVIDENCE-BASED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS. DIRECT BENEFICIARIES OF THIS PROGRAM INCLUDE RESIDENTS OF PLYMOUTH, MA, AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES, RESIDENTS OF COMMUNITIES NEAR OTHER DECOMMISSIONING NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS NOW OR IN THE FUTURE, HUMAN HEALTH, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC.