NS&D Monitor
12/4/2015
IN THE INDUSTRY
The U.S. Department of Labor has scheduled outreach events for next week in New Mexico to provide assistance with compensation and medical benefit claims for nuclear weapons workers and uranium miners. Attendees will receive information on the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act, which “compensates current or former employees . . . who were diagnosed with a radiogenic cancer, chronic beryllium disease, beryllium sensitivity, or chronic silicosis, as a result of exposure to radiation, beryllium, or silica while employed at covered facilities,” according to the Department of Labor. The first event is scheduled for Dec. 8 at the Courtyard Marriott in Farmington and the next on Dec. 9 at New Mexico State University in Grants.
IN THE NNSA
Lassina Zerbo, the head of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), visited National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) sites last week, including the Nevada National Security Site and the Los Alamos (LANL) and Lawrence Livermore (LLNL) national laboratories. The NNSA said that in addition to observing the operations of the Stockpile Stewardship Program that maintains the U.S. nuclear stockpile without full-scale explosive testing, “Zerbo learned about the history of the U.S. nuclear explosive testing program and saw firsthand the results of atmospheric and underground nuclear explosions.” Zerbo said in a release, “I applaud the United States for foregoing nuclear explosive testing for over 23 years and I hope that will continue, along with the U.S. support for our efforts to make a global ban on nuclear explosions the international norm.” The NNSA said its support for the CTBTO “focuses on strengthening all aspects of the international nuclear explosion monitoring and verification regime, and encouraging all countries to work towards the Treaty’s entry into force.”
