When all the shouting about uranium, iodine-131, radiation, criticality, multiple chemical sensitivity, toxic rain  and vast conspiracies is over, the gross mortality rate is a measure of our overall health. Surely, any gross effect such as a longevity reduction of twenty or more years will be reflected in this statistic. Also it is dificult to believe that the State of Tennessee would falsify this fundemental data just to spare the Department of Energy the responsibility of pollution.

Consider the following from the TDH - Statistical Profiles of Tennessee:
 

The people who are so concerned with the health of Oak Ridge should take their sympathies to Memphis. The Nashville Tennessean should devote a year log study of the reasons why Nashvillians die so much faster than Anderson Countians die. Oak Ridge does not deserve its reputation as a polluted city.

The Agencies, Federal and State, who are about to spend my money studying Oak Ridge again, should spend my money on my neighbors to the west who need it worse than my immediate neighbors  do.

Above all, no new study of Oak Ridge's general health should be done on the basis it is suspect until ALL the old studies including environmental parameters are thoroughly reviewed and reconciled with the currently available data.

I do not object to spending money on the ORR  ill-workers.  It is studying Oak Ridge health, because someone repeatedly alleges that it is bad without proof and without concern for the existing data, that I object to.  I do not object to the epidemiological research designed to find out information.  I do not object to a study of the general health of Oak Ridge as long as it is done for the right reasons. Basing a study on the unfounded claims of a few in the face of all data to the contrary, only serves to destroy Oak Ridge.

Why would the government spend millions of dollars if there were nothing wrong!!!!