Dr. Alan H. Lockwood, an Emeritus Professor of Neurology at the University of Buffalo and a member of Physicians for Social Responsibility, was in Fairbanks as a guest of the Alaska Community Action on Toxics and the Northern Alaska Environmental Center.

PSR Executive Director Dr. Catherine Thomasson explains the public health costs of coal-fired power plants.

The prestigious Fissile Material Working Group included a quotation from Dr. Thomasson in their just released analysis of President Obama's FY 2013 budget.

PSR Arizona Chapter President, Dr. Barbara Warren, describes the expensive cost to retain obsolete nuclear weapons: "We do not need nor can we afford to waste hundreds of billions of tax dollars on obsolete Cold War nuclear weapons systems that are ill-suited to meeting U.S. security needs in the 21st century."

Dr. Barbara Warren on the public health dangers of nuclear power.

PSR is pleased to note Duke Energy’s wise decision to permanently shutter the troubled Crystal River nuclear reactor in Florida. This decision comes three years after the reactor was initially shut down as a result of repeated cracks in the reactor’s containment vessel. This decision is a victory for public safety.

While there has been limited research in Australia on the health effects of coal mining, extensive studies in the US by the Physicians for Social Responsibility found people living in high coal-producing counties had higher rates of cardiopulmonary disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension and kidney disease compared with people in non-coal-producing counties.

As the nuclear industry renews its effort to persuade legislators, taxpayers and ratepayers to prop up its uneconomic industry, PSR Iowa is leading a grassroots campaign against an advanced cost recovery bill, a measure which would enable utilities to collect the capital expense for a new nuclear reactor in advance from their customers.

Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) joined environmental groups in announcing their intent to sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in federal court to force the release of long-awaited federal safeguards for toxic coal ash.

PSR, acting with environmental organizations, filed a Notice of Intent to sue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to require the Agency to release rules for safe disposal of coal ash, the toxic waste left when electrical utilities burn coal.

Dr. Robert Little, co-chair of Harrisburg Physicians for Social Responsibility, explains the health impacts of particulate matter from car exhaust.

Dr. Lynn Ringenberg, president of PSR Florida, said the new nuclear units just aren't worth the risk. It's been proven, she said, that even low levels of radiation can cause cancer.

PSR chapters across the country celebrated the EPA’s recent finalization of the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards rule. This rule is a huge victory for human health, particularly for children, who can face developmental delays and mental retardation due to mercury exposure.

Arizona PSR participated in actions to encourage the EPA to pass more stringent mercury emmissions controls for industries such as coal plants, waste management of coal burning, and others. This article includes a statement from Arizona PSR on the good news of the EPA ruling.

Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) has worked for twenty-two years to protect the public from the severe toxic effects of mercury. Mercury, a neurotoxin, damages the developing brain; fetuses, infants and children exposed to mercury can suffer lifelong developmental delays, loss of IQ and mental retardation. In adults, mercury can damage the heart and kidneys.

"The information being presented to students misleads them on very basic questions of health and safety. Fossil fuels like coal have very damaging effects on health, and schools should warn students about them, not ignore them," noted Barbara Gottlieb, Director of Environment and Health at Physicians for Social Responsibility.

Dr. Jeffrey Patterson, PSR president- elect, explains the importance of fixing our nuclear waste disposal systems. Read more to find out what needs to be done.

An op-ed by PSR Board member Dr. Jeff Patterson on the dangers of nuclear waste.