Vermont Supplies Potassium Iodide for Nuclear Plant’s Neighbors

The Vermont Department of Health is urging some state residents to apply for potassium iodide pills that would help prevent thyroid cancer if an accident occurred at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, Dec. 5).

In a mass mailing to thousands of Windham County residents, the department said that one dose would be available to each resident living within a 10-mile radius of the nuclear facility. That area has been designated a “emergency planning zone.”

“This is just the next phase of our outreach,” said department spokeswoman Marilyn Lewis. “We’re also doing outreach to businesses, hotels and motels,” she added.

The program has been in place for two years, but has received little response. State health officials are attempting to boost participation with the outreach program and by paring down the application form for the pill.

“We’re seeing a really good response,” Lewis said (Associated Press/Salon.com, Dec. 9).

Back to top
About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines © Copyright 2008 by National Journal Group, Inc. The material in this section is produced independently for NTI by National Journal Group, Inc. Any reproduction or retransmission, in whole or in part, is a violation of federal law and is strictly prohibited without the consent of the National Journal Group, Inc. All rights reserved.