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SS November 19, 1979

JOSHUA LEDERBERG

PRESIDENT

Dr. Dixy Lee Ray

Governor

State of Washington

Office of Government Legislative Building
Olympia, Washington 98501

Dear Dixy Lee:

I was deeply gratified to read this morning of your
action in reopening the low level radioisotope waste
facilities in the state of Washington.

It is hardly necessary for me to convey how dependent
the progress of medical research and important medical
applications of radioisotopes have been on an orderly pro-
cess for the disposal of these materials. I am sure that
the new regulations with respect to the packaging and over-
sight of the shipments will alleviate any anxiety that may
have been raised by a generalized and sometimes undiscrim-
inating public reaction about their hazards. And, of course,
it really is incumbent on all of us to seek methods of hand-
ling these materials that do not seem to put an unfair bur-
den on any particular community, even though the benefits
of research with radioisotopes embrace the citizens of
Washington no less than any other part of the world.

With best personal regards.

Yours\ sincerely,

sok eR ua Lederberg

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