RSH > Documents > ANS National Meetings/Sessions > June 1999 >John Graham, Emmy Roos

4. Bringing the Message to the Regulators’ Constituency

                "A coherent campaign is proposed that presents to the public the realities of the effects of low-level radiation and the absurdities of regulating doses to zero.

                "In the world of politics, decision makers often form their opinions based on public opinion polls and use that as a foundation for their political criteria. This is what Clinton relied on during the 'to impeach or not to impeach' period. Although he tried to influence decision makers, he also based his defense upon the daily public polls, knowing that in the end his decision makers would do the same thing. A few strong personalities aside, public polls make the political world go around. Using them is part of a strategy of making the case at every political level and at the same time making sure you have a strong foundation, i.e., the public.

                "This approach seems to work in politics. Could the same strategy be used to modify regulatory criteria? Make the case at all levels, but make sure there is a strong foundation from which to work, i.e., a public constituency.

                "The emerging data for the effects of low-level radiation are convincing. However, the regulators dismiss it. The arguments that a single cell might be damaged and that it is impossible to regulate from a threshold seem more impelling. It is unlikely that any amount of data and scientific conferences will change existing minds within their generation.

                "For those who believe that the weight of evidence lies against the use of the linear nonthreshold criterion for the regulation of radiation, there are limited ways to modify regulatory practices. A direct approach will not work, but pressure through Congress may.

                "Regulators regulate at the behest of our congressional representatives. Regulators are well aware that shifts in public opinion affect Congress and its actions in endorsing appointments and in making laws. Regulating agencies are, after all, political agencies. Their main constituency, therefore, through Congress is also the public. Yet, most of our discussion is with other experts and, indirectly, with the regulators. We rarely address the public. Yet, when we do, they are both surprised and very receptive to information about low-level radiation.

                "To make a difference and to empower a knowledgeable public, we need all the avenues of contact that we can use—no single avenue is sufficient. A new and organized campaign is needed. We explore new initiatives in avenues that lead to different public groups: teachers’ training workshops, the Worldwide Web, public presentations, and the media.

                "The latest American Nuclear Society (ANS) teachers’ training workshops are based on distributing excess Geiger counters, and therefore, their curriculum can be based more firmly on radiation education than in prior years when the focus was electricity generation through the nuclear option. As a result, the workshops can provide an ideal avenue for presentation of the realities and effects of low-level radiation. Those working toward rational regulation of radiation should be involved in developing a coherent message through these teachers’ workshops. An example is provided of a teachers’ workshop recently presented in Denver, Colorado.

                "The Worldwide Web is a new method of communication. It is only 7 yr old and is still used inefficiently to present nuclear information and information about low-level radiation. We provide usable criteria for effective Web-site development. We illustrate these with a new Colorado ANS local-section site that is dedicated to informing the browser about radiation.

                "Recommendations for new methods of making presentations to the public are given. We take issue with the effectiveness of meetings, to which the public is invited, versus those in which the message is taken directly to social groups. Effective presentations other than those composed of a speech with overheads are recommended.

                "Finally, methods of using the media to reach other members of the public are discussed. In particular, criteria for writing publishable letters to the editor are presented, particularly in the context of distributing information on low-level radiation effects.

                "It is not suggested that any one of these avenues to the public will change international regulation, but sustained attention to all of them will do more good in this country than the present practice of involving only technical groups and the regulators. The regulators are sensitive to public pressures through Congressional representation. Thus, an effective and coherent public campaign can make a difference. Activists opposed to nuclear science and technology have already demonstrated the truth of this."