ML021220502
| ML021220502 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Davis Besse  |
| Issue date: | 04/24/2002 |
| From: | Kaptur M US HR (House of Representatives) |
| To: | Meserve R NRC/Chairman |
| References | |
| FOIA/PA-2002-0426, G20020263, LTR-02-0317 | |
| Download: ML021220502 (4) | |
Text
EDO Principal Correspondence Control FROM:
DUE: 05/15/02 Representative Marcy Kaptur TO:
EDO CONTROL: G20020263 DOC DT: 04/24/02 FINAL REPLY:
Chairman Meserve FOR SIGNATURE OF :
Chairman Meserve PRI CRC NO: 02-0317 DESC:
Davis-Besse DATE: 05/01/02 ASSIGNED TO:
CONTACT:
NRR Collins SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:
Ref.
G20020184.
ROUTING:
Travers Paperiello Kane Norry Craig Burns Dyer, RIII Zimmerman, NSIR Cyr, OGC
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OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Date Printed: May 01, 2002 11:09 PAPER NUMBER:
ACTION OFFICE:
AUTHOR:
AFFILIATION:
ADDRESSEE:
SUBJECT:
ACTION:
DISTRIBUTION:
LETTER DATE:
ACKNOWLEDGED SPECIAL HANDLING:
NOTES:
FILE LOCATION:
LOGGING DATE: 05/01/2002 LTR-02-0317 EDO Marcy Kaptur REP Richard Meserve Davis Besse Signature of Chairman Chairman, Comrs, RF, OCA to Ack 04/24/2002 N3
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Commission Correspondence Adams DATE DUE:
05/17/2002 DATE SIGNED:
EDO -- G20020263
MARCY KAPTUR WASHINGTON OFFICE:
MEMBER 2366 RAYBURN BUILDING 9TH DISTRICT, OHIO WASHINGTON, DC 20515-3509 (202) 225-4146 COMMITTEES:
FAX: (202) 225-7711 APPROPRIATIONS APPROPRIATIONS DISTRICT OFFICE:
SUBCOMMITTEES:
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, (Ot 0
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THE OHIO BUILDING FDA AND RELATED AGENCIES o
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s 420 MADISON AVE., STE. 1250 VA, HUD, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES TOLEDO, OH 43604 LEGISLATIVE BRANCH kOUJ2] of R. prruse ZtaiuJi (419) 259-7500 Ta1uington, 4C 20515-3509 FAX: (419) 255-9623 April 24, 2002 Richard A. Meserve Ph.D.
Chairman Nuclear Regulatory Commission One White Flint North Bldg 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852
Dear Dr. Meserve:
On March 28, 2002, by letter, I requested of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission an on-site fact-finding mission at the Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Plant for Members of Congress to "grasp the situation fully and assess the necessary steps to address any shortcomings." To date my office still has not received a response.
Today, I wish to lend my strong support to the call by fifteen organizations petitioning the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to order an outside team of experts to investigate the situation at Davis-Besse. I appreciate that NRC staff has met with my Washington staff, but the issues in my initial letter still have not been addressed, particularly the desire to have information presented on the record. I would have enjoyed the opportunity to examine the plant with my colleagues first, before calling for outside investigators, but am still waiting for a reply. In fact additional information about the radioactive contamination of now at least seven workers, who were allowed to leave the facility undetected, provides additional questions for the NRC to answer.
First, we have a situation where the NRC and FirstEnergy were unable to determine or surmise that the structural integrity of the facility was in jeopardy. The NRC has publicly stated that the company failed to pick up on significant warning signs, including radiation filters in the containment building that required replacement every 48 hours5.555556e-4 days <br />0.0133 hours <br />7.936508e-5 weeks <br />1.8264e-5 months <br /> for over two tears. Surely the NRC on-site team was aware of these filter changes as well. Second, the NRC and FirstEnergy were unable to account for or detect the transport of fuel particles out of the plant, to say nothing of the fact the incident was not publicly disclosed until at least 20 days after the particles left the plant.
And finally, nearly a full month after our request, Congressional Representatives from the region have not been offered an official response from the NRC to our request to visit the facility and see firsthand the nature of the damage. Any reasonable person would ask what other structural flaws may be present that jeopardize our future community safety.
Individually these matters would lend support to a call for an independent review.
Collectively, they demand a thorough and independent review of the plant's condition and the company's operation of it, as both the NRC and its on-site inspectors and the company were a party to these unfortunate occurrences.
PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
Richard A. Meserve Ph.D.
April 24, 2002 Page # 2 Please employ whatever administrative procedures are necessary to accommodate our initial request.
Sincerely, MARCY ePk U.S. Representative MK:naf