ML042080446

E-mail from B. Cosgrove of Vermont Yankee to VTY - All Users, Regarding Leahy - Jeffords Letter

ML042080446
Person / Time
Site:	Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png
Issue date:	03/03/2004
From:	Cosgrove B Vermont Yankee
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, Vermont Yankee
References
FOIA/PA-2004-0267
Download: ML042080446 (3)

Text

Sienel, Beth From: Cosgrove, Brian Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2004 10:12 AM To: VTY - All Users

Subject:

Leahy - Jeffords Letter Importance: High JLNRC22704.doc (442 KB)

Dear Fellow Vermont Yankee,

Last Friday, Vermont Senators Patrick Leahy and James Jeffords wrote the Nuclear Regulatory Commission requesting that they come to Vermont for a public meeting to explain the NRC process for approving Vermont Yankee's application for an extended power uprate (see attachment). This is a very positive development because it will provide the public an opportunity to get a better understanding of the very rigorous process that is in place to ensure the public health and safety of any uprate approval.

The letter was the result of a presentation last month by the NRC uprate team to the members of Leahy and Jeffords' staff who work on environmental issues. I have spoken to these staff folks and they were very favorably impressed with the checks and balances that are built into the NRC uprate assessment and specifically mentioned the independent oversight by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards as a key feature of the program.

As one staffer said to me, "this is a very thorough and rigorous process, and these individuals are very highly qualified to do this work. With the ACRS involvement, this is, in fact, an independent safety assessment by the most qualified people available anywhere."

This is a very important step forward in educating the public about power uprate. It is very likely that it will produce a flood of negative comments from the opponents of the uprate, who have been very active in lobbying the two Vermont senators against uprate.

Please take a moment in the next day or two to email or phone the offices of Senators Jeffords and Leahy and thank them for helping provide an opportunity for the public to learn more about this very important issue. Please use your home email if possible. You don't need to be a Vermont resident to state your support. Please drop me an email and let me know you've reached out. Making the effort to contact our senators is VERY important.

Senator Patrick Leahy United States Senate Washington, DC 20S10 (202) 224-4242 Email: senator leahyaleahy.senate.gov Sen. James M. Jeffords 413 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 (202) 224-5141 vermont@jeffords.senate.gov At this time, preliminary plans are in place to hold the NRC public meeting on uprate in conjunction with the annual NRC Plant Performance Review meeting on March 31 at 7pm at thej Vernon school. Final plans will be announced soon. Please plan to attend if possible. 1 1

Brian 2

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