FEDERAL-STATE RELATIONSHIPS IN THE ATOMIC ENERGY FIELD TUESDAY, MAY 19, 1959 CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES, JOINT COMMITTEE ON ATOMIC ENERGY, Washington, D.C. The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m., in room P-63, the Capitol, Representative Cary T. Durham (vice chairman of the Joint Committee) presiding. Present: Senator Anderson; Representatives Durham, Holifield, Aspinall, Bates, and Westland. Also present: James T. Ramey, executive director; and David R. Toll, staff counsel, Joint Committee on Atomic Energy. Representative DURHAM. The committee will come to order. This morning the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy is commencing public hearings on Federal-State relationships in the atomic energy field. Plans for these hearings have been underway for many months. Earlier this year the Joint Committee distributed to all interested persons a 520-page volume entitled "Selected Materials on FederalState Cooperation in the Atomic Energy Field," as collected by the committee staff, pursuant to directions of the chairman and vice chairman, to assist persons to prepare for these hearings beginning today. An outline and list of witnesses for these hearings has also been prepared and is available. In preparation for these hearings, a letter was sent to each State Governor signed by Chairman Anderson, Senator Hickenlooper, Congressman Van Zandt, Congressman Holifield, and myself, informing them of the three sets of hearings related to Federal-State relationships which the committee is conducting this year. We received replies from a number of Governors, and we are pleased to see that a number of States have sent representatives to participate in these hearings. Without objections, a copy of the letter to the Governors, dated February 11, 1959, will be inserted at this point. (The letter referred to follows:) February 11, 1959. DEAR GOVERNOR: As members of the Joint Congressional Committee on Atomic Energy, we would like to inform you of the plans of our committee this year to consider certain questions in the atomic energy field of mutual interest both to Federal and State Governments. We plan to hold three sets of public hearings and consider certain legislative proposals which we thought might be of interest to you and the members of your State legislature : First, from January 28 to February 3, 1959, the Special Subcommittee on Radiation of the Joint Committee (Congressman Chet Holifield, of California, chairman) has held public hearings on "Industrial Radioactive Waste Disposal." 1 In particular, on the final day of the hearings, Tuesday, February 3, representatives from both Federal and State agencies were requested to present statements concerning activities of their agencies in regulating radioactive waste materials. Second, from March 10 through March 18, 1959, the Subcommittee on Research and Development (Congressman Melvin Price, of Illinois, chairman) has scheduled public hearings on "Employee Radiation Hazards and Workmen's Compensation Problems." Witnesses from both Federal and State agencies, as well as other organizations, will be invited to testify during these hearings. Finally, public hearings have been scheduled (tentatively from May 12 through May 15, 1959) on "Federal-State Relationships in the Promotion and Regulation of Atomic Energy Uses." These hearings will consider legislative proposals to amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 with respect to FederalState cooperation. In preparation for this final set of hearings, the committee has directed the committee staff to assemble certain materials and background information pertaining to Federal and State activities in the atomic energy field, and these will be published in the form of a Joint Committee print in the near future. We will plan to send you two copies, or more copies if you should so desire, of this Joint Committee print as soon as it is published, about February 25, 1959. Attached for your information is a list providing more specific dates and background information on these hearings. If you desire to send a representative to attend or participate in any of these hearings, the Joint Committee would be glad to hear from you. We are sending you this information at this time in order that you may be aware of our plans to consider legislative proposals on the Federal level, and in order that we may work together to obtain harmonious Federal-State legislation in the atomic energy field. If you, or any member of your State legislature, should desire any further information concerning the plans of the Joint Committee, please let us know, or contact the committee staff (Mr. James T. Ramey, executive director), and we will be glad to provide more detailed information concerning the scope of these hearings. During the first 2 days of the hearings, the committee hopes to obtain background information, and summaries of activities of Federal, State, and local governments in the atomic energy field, on an informational basis. On Thursday and Friday of this week, we are then scheduled to hear from witnesses concerning the AEC proopsed bill and other recommendations, proposals and opinions. Our first witness this morning is Dr. G. Hoyt Whipple of the University of Michigan School of Public Health, to give us a brief review of the nature of the radiation and need for regulations. Dr. Whipple will be followed by Dr. Lauriston Taylor on "Radiation Standards as a Basis for Regulation." Witnesses from AEC and the Public Health Service will then present background information on the activities of the Federal Government, primarily in controlling radiation hazards. I would like to insert in the record at this point the outline and list of witnesses dated May 18, 1959. (The document referred to is as follows:) CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES JOINT COMMITTEE ON ATOMIC ENERGY PUBLIC HEARINGS ON FEDERAL-STATE RELATIONSHIPS May 19-22, 1959 OUTLINE AND LIST OF WITNESSES May 18, 1959 NOTES.-The first 2 days, May 19 and 20, are scheduled for witnesses to present background information, and summaries of activities of Federal, State, and local governments, on an informational basis. The next 2 days, May 21 and 22, are scheduled for witnesses to present proposals, recommendations and opinions The hearings will be continued on Monday and Tuesday of the following week, May 25 and 26, if necessary. All hearings will be in room P-63 of the Capitol (the old Supreme Court room) except the hearings for Friday, May 22, and Monday, May 25 (if held), will be in room F-39 of the Capitol). First day, Tuesday, May 19, 1959, room P-63, Capitol I. "Review of the Nature of Radiation and Need for Regulations," G. Hoyt Whipple, Jr., University of Michigan School of Public Health; (one-half hour, 10 to 10:30 a. m.): (a) "Types of Ionizing Radiation." (b) "Sources of Radiation." (c) "Effects of Radiation Upon Man." II. "Radiation Standards as a Basis for Regulation," Dr. Lauriston Taylor, chairman, National Committee on Radiation Protection (NCRP), (one-half hour, 10:30 to 11 a.m.): (a) "NCRP Relation to ICRP." (b) "Permissible Dose' Concept." (c) "NCRP Subcommittee on State Regulations." III. Activities of Federal Government: A. Atomic Energy Commission (2 hours, 11 to 12 a.m., 2 to 3 p.m.): 1. Commissioner John S. Graham, introduction. 2. Dr. Charles H. Dunham, "Contract Operations and Standards." 3. Dr. Joseph Lieberman, "Waste Disposal." 4. Oscar S. Smith, "Training of Personnel." 5. Curtis A. Nelson, "Inspection." 6. Harold Price, "Licensing Activities." 7. Dr. Clifford Beck, "Reactor Hazards." B. U.S. Public Health Service, Dr. David Price and Dr. Francis J. Weber (1 hour, 3 to 4 p.m.): 1. "Responsibility for X-rays, Radium, Machines, Other Radiation Sources." 2. "Recent Report of Advisory Committee on Radiation." 3. "Inspection and Enforcement." 4. "Relationships with States." C. Statements for the record may be received from other Federal agencies, including Interstate Commerce Commission, Department of Defense, Department of Labor, Bureau of Mines, Department of Agriculture, Civil Aeronautics Administration, Maritime Administration, and Food and Drug Administration. (Previous statement obtained from Federal agencies on their activities in regulating radiation hazards are reprinted at ch. 3, pp. 35–150, of Joint Committee print entitled "Selected Materials on Federal-State Cooperation in the Atomic Energy Field," March 1959.) Second day-Wednesday, May 20, 1959, room P-63, Capitol IV. Activities of State and local governments: A. "Activities of Joint Federal-State Action Committee in Atomic Energy Field," Gov. Robert E. Smylie of Idaho (one-half hour, 10 to 10:30 a.m.). B. Summary of State Statutes and Regulations: Lee Hydeman, University of Michigan Law School atomic energy research project (1 hour, 10:30 to 11:30a.m.). C. Round table report on activities of States: (1 hour, 2 to 3 p.m.): 2. New York-Dr. Morris Kleinfeld, "Activities of a State Labor Department." 3. Colorado-Mr. P. W. Jacoe, "Activities of a State Health Department With Respect to Uranium Mining and Processing." D. Local and municipal activities: Mr. Harold Sandbank, American Municipal Association (one-half hour, 3 to 3:30 p.m.). Third day-Thursday, May 21, 1959, room P-63, Capitol V. Proposals and recommendations: Witnesses may make recommendations for Federal legislation and other measures as to (1) responsibilities of States and relationships to Federal Government; (2) responsibilities of Federal Government and allocation of responsibilities within Federal Government; and (3) possible needs for increased training and assistance from Federal and State Governments. A. AEC-Commissioner John S. Graham and AEC staff (1 hour 10 to 11 a.m.): 1. "Description of Bill Proposed by AEC." 2. "Other Recommendations and Proposals." B. U.S. Public Health Service: Proposals and Recommendations (1 hour, 11 to 12 a.m.). C. Recommendations by representatives of State governments (2 hours, 2 to 4 p.m.): 1. Jo M. Ferguson, attorney general, Kentucky, representing Association of Attorneys General. 2. Charles F. Schwan, representing Council of State Governments. ence. 4. Representatives of Governors of some States will be present, and may desire to make statements, including the following: (a) Massachusetts, Raymond I. Rigney. (b) West Virginia, Clement R. Bassett. (c) Florida, Karl R. Allen and George Kinsman, Fourth day-Friday, May 22, 1959, room F-39, Capitol D. Recommendations of other interested groups: 1. Leonard English, representing Firefighters Union (one-half hour, 10 to 10:30 a.m.). 2. Andrew Biemiller, representing AFL-CIO (one-half hour, 10:30 to 11 a.m.). 3. William McAdams, representing U.S. Chamber of Commerce (onehalf hour, 11 to 11:30 a.m.). 4. William Berman and Lee Hydeman, University of Michigan Law School atomic energy research project (one half hour, 11:30 to 12 a.m.). 5. Otto Christenson, representing Conference of State Manufacturers Association (one-half hour 2 to 2:30 p.m.). 6. Prof. George Frampton, University of Illinois Law School (one hour, 2:30 to 3 p.m.). 7. Representative of State and Territorial Health Offices (one-half hour, 3 to 3:30 p.m.). Representative DURHAM. Dr. Whipple, we are very glad to have you with us this morning. We appreciate your coming down here for these hearings. I know you are busy, like the rest of us. Do you have a written statement? STATEMENT OF G. HOYT WHIPPLE, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF RADIOLOGICAL HEALTH, SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Dr. WHIPPLE. I have a written statement, which I would like to read, Mr. Chairman. Representative DURHAM. You may proceed to read your statement. Dr. WHIPPLE. In view of the exhaustive testimony on atomic energy matters that has been presented to this committee, the present statement can contain little that is not already completely understood by the members of the committee. Perhaps, however, this review may be of value in arranging concepts already familiar into a form that will facilitate the committee's deliberations on proper regulations in this complex field. Four types of ionizing radiation are of principal concern in atomic energy: alpha particles, beta particles, quantum radiations, and neutrons. Alpha particles are the nuclei of helium atoms. They carry an electrical charge of plus two. The mass of the alpha particle is approximately four, that is, an alpha particle weighs about four times as much as ordinary single weight hydrogen. Alpha particles are produced by such natural radioactive isotopes as radium 226, and also by such manmade radioactive isotopes as plutonium 239. With few exceptions, the energies of the alpha particles emitted by radioactive isotopes are less than 10 million electron volts. High energy accelerators like cyclotrons can produce alpha particles of much higher energies, but this occurs only in rather rare situations. By virtue of their relatively large electrical charge and their low velocities, which result from their large mass, alpha particles are capable of penetrating only short distances in common materials. The range of alpha particles in air is typically 1 or 2 inches, and only a few thousandths of an inch in living tissue. Because their ranges are short, alpha particles deposit relatively large amounts of energy in a small space. Beta particles are high speed electrons, either negative or positive. Both types have a mass about one eighteen-hundredths that of ordinary single weight hydrogen. The common type is the negative beta particle carrying an electric charge of minus one. When a negative beta particle comes to rest it is indistinguishable from an ordinary atomic electron. The rare positive beta particle, or positron, carries an electrical charge of plus one. When a positive beta particle comes to rest it coalesces with an ordinary negative electron; the electrical charges neutralize one another; and the masses of both are converted into energy in the form of two quanta of gamma radiation, each with an energy of about one-half of a million electron volts. Negative beta particles are produced by such natural radioactive isotopes as potassium 40, and also by such manmade radioactive isotopes as strontium 90. Positive beta particles are produced by a few manmade radioactive isotopes, of which copper 64 is an example. With few exceptions, the beta particles, both positive and negative, emitted by radioactive isotopes have energies less than 10 million electron volts. High-energy accelerators, like betatrons, can produce external beams of negative beta particles with energies up to several hundred million electron volts. Beta particles, by virtue of their small mass, travel at very high velocities, approaching the speed of light. For this reason, the ranges of beta particles are typically much greater than those of alpha particles. As an example, the maximum range of the 1.7-million-electronvolt beta particles from phosphorus 32 is about 20 feet in air and about a third of an inch in living tissue. |