From the Office of Utah Congressman Jim Matheson

MATHESON NEWS
Second Congressional District

For Further Information
Alyson Heyrend: (801) 455-5593 (cell)
www.house.gov/matheson

October 12, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Matheson Says Thyroid Study Highlights Nuke Testing Risks

Salt Lake City, UT-Congressman Jim Matheson said today the tireless work by a team of University of Utah scientists helps confirm the long-term health risks caused by exposure to radioactive fallout from nuclear weapons testing.

"Dr. Joseph Lyon and his associates have spent 40 years researching danger to those who were 'downwind' of nuclear testing in Nevada.  The more we look, the more damage we uncover from this era, even as the federal government was telling us it was safe," said Matheson.

Matheson noted that it was Dr. Lyon's early studies that helped convince his late father-former Gov. Scott Matheson-to demand the release of classified data on the nuclear tests.  Gov. Matheson died from a radiation exposure-related illness at age 61.

"The data proves that even underground nuclear tests are not safe. I have long opposed any effort to resume nuclear weapons testing in Nevada. My legislation-Safety for Americans from Nuclear Weapons Testing-establishes significant roadblocks in the way of any new testing.  It explicitly requires Congress to authorize any weapons tests. And it creates the National Center for the Study of Radiation and Human Health-a regional consortium of universities that will study the health effects of radiation exposure and radiation-linked illnesses," said Matheson.

Recently, Matheson demanded the release of environmental data, prior to the planned detonation of a non-nuclear, 700-ton explosion by the Department of Defense at the Nevada Test Site.  That test-known as "Divine Strake"-has been postponed indefinitely.

Matheson said an abstract of Dr. Lyon's study can be viewed at the following link:  www.epidem.com/pt/re/epidemiology

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Alyson Heyrend
Communications Director
240 East Morris Ave. #235
South Salt Lake, UT 84115
(801) 486-1236 (phone)
(801) 455-5593 (cell)
(801) 486-1417 (fax)