ML030350231
| ML030350231 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Indian Point  |
| Issue date: | 01/17/2003 |
| From: | Diana E Orange County, NY |
| To: | Jacoby E Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, State of NY, Emergency Management Office |
| References | |
| LTR-03-0049 | |
| Download: ML030350231 (3) | |
Text
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Date Printed: Jan 30, 2003 10.:17 PAPER NUMBER:
ACTION OFFICE:
LTR-03-0049 LOGGING DATE: 01t2912003 AUTHOR:
Edward Diana c-E MRS DEDR AFFILIATION:
NM OEDM AO ADDRESSEE:
Edward Jacoby
SUBJECT:
Management concerns at the Indian Point nuclear power plants...result of theJames L. Witt Associates report ACTION:
Information DISTRIBUTION:
LETTER DATE:
ACKNOWLEDGED SPECIAL HANDLING:
RF 01/17V2003 No cc: Chairman Meserve NOTES:
FILE LOCATION:
Adams DATE SIGNED:
EDO wee DATE DUE:
-Ie4vPtak-. SEcy-0 I J7
o EDWARD A. DIANA COUNTY EXECUTIVE January 17, 2003 Mr. Edward F. Jacoby Jr.
Director, New York State Emergency Management Office Building 22, State Campus Albany, New York 12226
Dear Mr. Jacoby:
I am writing to Inform you that the County of Orange will not sign the annual PR-1 checklist pertaining to the Indian Point nuclear power plants.
This decision comes as a direct result of the James Lee Witt Associates report released Friday, Jan 10th.
As you know, the PR-1 checklist that Orange and other counties are required to submit at this time each year merely verifies our compliance with Federal Emergency Management Agency requirements regarding nuclear-emergency preparedness.
Although our team emergency personnel and volunteers has fulfilled and even exceeded all the FEMA requirements for 2002, we believe that the issues identified in the Witt Report are valid and must be addressed immediately.
After carefully analyzing the Witt Report, we believe it would be irresponsible to submit the PR-1 report given the substantial concerns identified in the Witt Report and its conclusion that the regional plan is inadequate to protect the public.
Preparedness standards set by FEMA and practiced by the local teams rely too heavily on procedural compliance rather than the reality of an emergency.
The Witt consultants in their report agree that such an approach amounts to a major flaw in our planning efforts to effectively protect the public. We can dramatically increase the margin of safety by focusing instead on performance-based outcomes and "real life" situations.
In light' of another recent report on security concerns at the plants themselves, in which a majority of the security personnel at Indian Point 2 indicated that they did not believe they could defend the plant against a terrorist threat, my colleagues in our neighboring counties and I believe ORANGE COuNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER GOSHEN, NEW YORK 10924 TEL: 845-291-2700 FAx: 845-291-2724
EDWARD A. DIANA COUNTY EXECUTIVE that security at Indian Point, as well as all other nuclear facilities, should be federalized and placed under the jurisdiction of the newly created Department of Homeland Security.
We believe that the Department of Homeland Security is the appropriate agency to oversee security at nuclear power plants because its mission is to protect the public from terrorist and other threats. The NRC's mission, on the other hand, is to regulate civilian use of nuclear materials to ensure adequate protection of public health and safety.
We look forward to substantial changes. We look to federal and state authorities and the utility company-to account for issues of terrorism and develop a plan with the counties that can identify ways to meet the objections and concerns in the Witt Report.
We stand ready to cooperate with the state and federal authorities to make the necessary changes to Improve the safe/y of the plant and the regional plan.
And we recognize the tremendous responsibility that remains on our shoulders to protect the public.
Edward A. Diana Orange County Executive cc: Honorable George E. Patald, Governor Honorable Salvatore Corallo, Chairman, Rockland County Legislature Honorable C. Scott Vanderhoef, County Executive, County of Rockland Honorable Robert J. Bondi, County Executive, County of Putnam Honorable Andrew J. Spano, County Executive, County of Westchester Richard A. Meserve, Chairman, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Joe Albaugh, Director, Federal Emergency Management Office EAD/SG ORANGE COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER GOSHEN. NEW YORK 10924 TEL: 845-291-2700 FAX: 845-291-2724