ML051790356
| ML051790356 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Indian Point  |
| Issue date: | 05/26/2005 |
| From: | Clinton H US SEN (Senate) |
| To: | Diaz N NRC/Chairman |
| References | |
| FOIA/PA-2007-0014, FOIA/PA-2008-0157, FOIA/PA-2008-0174, FOIA/PA-2008-0199, LTR-05-0298 | |
| Download: ML051790356 (3) | |
Text
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Date Printed: Jun 22, 2005 11:25 PAPER NUMBER:
ACTION OFFICE:
LTR-05-0298 OGC/ 6D 6 '
LOGGING DATE: 06/07/2005 AUTHOR:
AFFILIATION:
ADDRESSEE:
SUBJECT:
ACTION:
DISTRIBUTION:
LETTER DATE:
ACKNOWLEDGED SPECIAL HANDLING:
Hilliary Clinton SEN Request meeting with the Commission to discuss nuclear plant security Signature of Chairman Chairman, Comrs, RF, OCA to Ack 05t26f2005 No OGC....should coordinate response with EDO...Note CORR-05-0100, Gunter and CORR 0101, Lampert are before the Commission NOTES:
Senator Clinton no longer requests meeting; however, staff should prepare response regarding status of petition and sirens ADAMS FILE LOCATION:
DATE DUE:
07/07/2005 DATE SIGNED:
HILLAR) RODS '\\M CLINTON NEW I UK SENA. JR RUSSELI SENATE OFFICE BUILDING SUITE 476 WASHINGTON.
DC 20510-3204 202-224-S51 1-' I ) ',J <teL V..
COMMITTEES:
ARMED SERVICES ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS HEALTH.
EDUCATION, LABOR, AND PENSIONS SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON AGING
'Unitcd oStates oficnatc WASHINGTON, DC 20510-3204 May 26, 2005 Nils J.
ChainT Nuclea Washii Dear D C)
Diaz, Ph.D.
n ian c
.r Regulatory Commission I
x-ngton, D.C. 20555
'r. Diaz:
t I write to request a meeting with you to discuss an important nuclear plant security issue.
As you know, I have taken a very active interest in security and emergency preparedness at Indian Point and other plants in New York. I was disturbed to learn recently that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) had rejected a public petition filed by local governments and citizen groups, including several groups from New York.
The petition asked the NRC to require all nuclear plants to equip emergency notification sirens with backup power sources independent from the electrical grid, so that in the event of an accident or an act of terrorism accompanied by a loss of power the public could still be promptly notified of a radiological emergency. My understanding is that of the 62 commercial reactor sites that use sirens as warning systems, 27% have backup power for all sirens, 33% percent for some of the sirens and 40% have no backup at all. Indian Point has no backup power for its sirens, and I understand that none of the other New York plants have backup power for their sirens either.
This decision defies common sense. In the event of a successful attack on a nuclear plant, it seems obvious that disruptions of the grid in surrounding areas are a possible if not likely outcome. What good are emergency sirens if they are not going to sound in the event of an attack?
In your response to the petition, you include several justifications for your decision. One is that the petition was improperly filed. In addition, you suggest that this is perhaps a responsibility of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and not the NRC. In my view, none of these answers is satisfactory.
The NRC issues the operating licenses for our commercial reactors, and it is the responsibility of the NRC to make certain that emergency response plans work at Indian Point and other nuclear power plants across the country.
I urge you to reconsider and change your decision. If we need to change the law to make this happen, then I will work with you and my colleagues to see that appropriate legislation is PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
expeditiously introduced in the United States Senate. I look forward to meeting with you shortly to discuss this issue further.
Sincerely yours, lary Rodham Clinton