Plutonium in Livermore: Ethical Decision-Making
for our Health and our Children's Health

Following the discovery of plutonium in three Livermore area parks, plutonium contamination from various possible Laboratory sources has become a the subject of continuing community concern. WSLF, the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility, and Tri-Valley CAREs are involved in processes designed to engage the directly-affected community in making decisions about plutonium in their environment. The groups have participated in both federal and state health agency investigations into plutonium contamination from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory that may have ended up in residential lawns and gardens as well as city parks.

In 2002, a California Health Services report proposed a process to investigate further the distribution of Livermore sewage sludge that may have been contaminated with plutonium. The report recommended that the process be funded by LLNL and the Department of Energy and implemented by Alameda County. As of January 2005, the process has not been funded.

On October 9, 2004, WSLF, Tri-Valley CAREs, and the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility sponsored a community workshop in Livermore, "Plutonium in Livermore: Ethical Decision-Making for our Health and our Children's Health." This page provides the agenda for that workshop and materials made available by the presenters.

AGENDA FOR OCTOBER 9 WORKSHOP
9:45 AM -- Workshop planners and organizations arrive and set up.
Participants arrive and receive name tags and hand outs for the day.

10 AM -- Welcome, overview of the day and first presentation: "Basics of
plutonium and health effects," by Dr. Robert Gould, Physicians for Social Responsibility.

Gould bio and abstract (pdf)

Gould presentation (pdf)

FIRST PANEL -- WHOLE GROUP SESSION

10:25 AM - "Ethical perspectives for community decision-making on
scientific risks," by Dianne Quigley.

Quigley bio and abstract (pdf)

Quigley presentation (pdf)

10:45 AM - "The Precautionary Principle in action: What it is, how
communities are using it as a public health tool," by Debbie Raphael.

Raphael Presentation (pdf)

11:05 AM - "Case study: Responding to a community-wide environmental health
issues - plutonium-contaminated sewage sludge in Livermore," by Tracy
Barreau.

Barreau bio and abstract (pdf)

Barreau presentation (pdf)

11:25 AM - 11:30 AM -- BREAK and set up of four lunch tables

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM -- SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION AND LUNCH

Each table will have: (1) a panelist from the morning and/or afternoon
sessions, (2) at least one additional resource person, and (3) a
facilitator for the group discussion. Participants will introduce
themselves and discuss issues or questions of particular interest stemming
from the morning panel.

12:30 PM - 12:35 PM - BREAK and resumption of full group seating

SECOND PANEL -- WHOLE GROUP SESSION

12:35 PM - "Plutonium, ethics and the "big picture": Rethinking security in
human and ecological terms," by Jackie Cabasso.

Cabasso bio and abstract (pdf)

12:50 PM - "Bringing it all back home: Planned increases in plutonium at
Livermore Lab and implications for the community," by Marylia Kelley.

Kelley bio and abstract (pdf)

1:10 PM - 1:15 PM -- BREAK and regroup into four tables for discussion

1:15 PM - 1:40 PM -- SECOND SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

Each table will have the same participants as before. The focus will be on
next steps and formulating an "action plan". What do folks at the table
want to learn or do next? How do they want to go about it? Each table will
assign a "reporter" who will summarize the discussion and report back to
the whole group.

1:40 PM - 1:45 PM -- BREAK and resumption of full group seating.

1:45 PM - 1:55 PM -- Each table makes a short (3 minute) report back.

1:55 PM - 2 PM -- Good-byes, thank yous to all of the participants and
distillation of next steps and how we might follow up.