ML052870108

G20050698/LTR-05-0499 - Sen Christopher Dodd Ltr. Millstone Nuclear Power Plant (Robert Vivari, Jr.) Licensing Employees Who Perform HVAC Work

ML052870108
Person / Time
Site:	Millstone
Issue date:	10/07/2005
From:	Dodd C US SEN (Senate)
To:	Rathbun D Office of Congressional Affairs
Shared Package
ML052980040	List: ML052870108 ML052980035
References
FOIA/PA-2007-0093, G20050698, LTR-05-0499
Download: ML052870108 (5)

Text

EDO Principal Correspondence Control -

FROM: DUE: 11/02/05 EDO CONTROL: G20050698 DOC DT: 10/07/05 FINAL REPLY:

Senator Christopher J. Dodd TO:

Rathbun, OCA FOR SIGNATURE OF : ** GRN ** CRC NO: 05-0499 Reyes, EDO DESC: ROUTING:

Licensing Employees Who Perform HVAC Work at the Reyes Millstone Nuclear Power Plant (Robert Vivari, Jr.) Virgilio Kane Silber Dean Cyr/Burns DATE: 10/13/05 Collins, RI Schmidt, OCA ASSIGNED TO: CONTACT:

NRR Dyer SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR REMARKS:

Prepare response to Senator Dodd for the signature of L. Reyes, EDO.

TpI Me'. sect -e (7 o-(ants; BOye I

- OFFICE OF TIHE SECRETARY CORRESPONDENCE CONTROL TICKET Dale Printed: Oct 12, 2005 14:28 PAPER NUMBER: LTR-05-0499 LOGGING DATE: 10/1112005 ACTION OFFICE: EDO AUTHOR: SEN Christopher Dodd AFFILIATION: CONG ADDRESSEE: Dennis Rathbun

SUBJECT:

Licensing employees who perform HVAC work at the Millstone nuclear power plant ACTION: Signature of EDO DISTRIBUTION: OCA to Ack LETTER DATE: 10/07/2005 ACKNOWLEDGED No SPECIAL HANDLING:

NOTES:

FILE LOCATION: ADAMS DATE DUE: 11/02/2005 DATE SIGNED:

EDO -- G20050698

OCT. 11.2005 12:42PM SENATOR DODD NO. 670 P. 2 CHRISTOPHERJ. DODD WASIUNGTON OFFICE:

CONNrCTICUT 443 RUtCELZSzATt O'ncc BSI.bNc WASMJINI5, DC 20S10 COMITTIS: 1202) 224-20 FAc (202) 224-1 0S eANQNGC HOUSING. AND TOO: 12C23 2244464 URBAN AFFAIRS STATE OFFICE-FORE GN REL&TIONS WASHINGTON, DC 20510-0702 1C GCtrATMEADOWROAD WETHEAFal, CT 06109 (S"O)2S0-02 HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR. FAX: (260) 2568405 AND PENSIONS TuLL FAec-1300) 233441 TDOM (NO) 6297414 RULES AND ADMINISTRATION HeOMPAGE htp:;/dod ml1qav October 7, 2005 Mr. Dennis K, Rathburn Director, Office of Congressional Affairs Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555 VIA FACSIMILE (301) 415-8571

Dear Mr. Rathburn,

I am writing on the behalf of my constituent, Mr. Robert Vivari, Jr., who is concerned' with the licensing of employees who perform HVAC work at the Millstone Nuclear Power Station in Waterford, Connecticut.

I would appreciate your review of Mr. Vivari's concerns, so that I may respond to him.

Thank you for your cooperation and attention to this matter.

Sink CaI TOPHER J. DODD United States Senator Enclosures CC: State Representative Christopher G. Donovan, Majority Leader In reply: Connecticut Office Attn.: Ryan C. Drajelvicz OCT-11-2005 12:42 EI6025eSISEI 989 P. 02

SENATOR DODD NO. 670 P. 3 OCT. 11. 2005 12:42PM THE CONNECTICUT GENERAL ASSEMBLY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CHERSTOPHER G. DONOVAN MAJORITY LEADER Senator Christopher Dodd Putnam Park 100 Great Meadow Road Vethirsfield, Connecticut 06i09 September 26, 2005

Dear Senator Dodd,

I received the attached e-mail from a constituent, Mr. Robert Vivari, Jr., who is concerned with the licensing of employees who perform MVAC work at the Millstone Nuclear Power Station in Waterford.

Since the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is a federal agency and outside of my jurisdiction as a State Representative, I am asking you to please assist Mr. Vivari. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office and speak to Amy.

Christopher G. Donovan cc: Robert Vivari, Jr.

Leaislatijec Office Building, Suite 4100, Hartford, CT 06106-1591 Phone: (860) 240-8500 Fax: (860) 240-0206

-8602586959 987. P.03 OCT-11-2005 12:42

an) tA D /

OCT. 11.2005 12:42PM SENATOR DODD IWU.(UI Torres, Mildred From: Rob V. frvirl @msn.com]

Sent: Friday, September 09, 2005 9:25 AM To: Rep. Donovan, Christopher

Subject:

Licensing issue @ Millstone Nuclear Power Station

Dear Representative Donovan,

I'm writing to you for some guidance in reference to a licensing issue that has existed at the Millstone Nuclea Power Station in Waterford for quite some time. The reason I chose to contact you concerning this issue is because I've been nearly a lifelong resident of Meriden, I know you've always been an advocate of labor, and are now in a leadership position.

I'm a licensed(SM-2) Sheet Metal Worker who has worked at Millstone for a good portion of the last 6 1/2 years. HVAC work done in the State of CT has required a license since we became a licensed trade about 3 or q years ago. At that time, I had asked my superiors if that meant the in-house maintenance personnel needed to be licensed to work on ventilation systems in the plant, and I was told that they didn't need to hold a license because it wasn't required Federally (NRC?). At that time, I had thought'it was ridiculous that you were require to have a license to install an AC system in a house, but a maintenance person who had no knowledge, experience, or training could work on ventilation systems that could ultimately impact the environment if components were worked on or installed improperly. My thoughts regarding that haven't changed. If anything, the standards and requirements should be HIGHER at a Nuclear Power Station! Other trades that require a license in CT are electricians and pipefitters, but again they don't need to be licensed at Millstone from the information I received.

Dominion, the company who purchased Millstone from Northeast Utilities when they were required to sell it, has pushed to cut personnel and expenditures since they bought it, which seems to be the norm in business today. With NU, the construction trades who were on site year-round, or were brought in to do maintenance during refuel and other outages, worked under a General President's Maint'enance Agreement. After the plant was sold, Dominion never signed this agreement, but verbally agreed to adhere to it. One of the conditions of that agreement was that work in the Power Block would be done by Union or In-House labor. What's happening there now is non-union companies are starting to do work there, and as it exists now, don't need to be licensed to do work on the site. Also, Dominion is having their maintenance people do increasingly more of the work that used to be done by specialized contractors. What this means is that more work is done on equipment and systems by unlicensed and possibly unqualified personnel. I don't think that's something you want to see happening at a plant where someone's mistake or lack of qualifications could impact the environment or persons in the surrounding area.

My motivation is to try and contact some individuals in CT State government such as yourself who could pursue the licensing issue as it applies to Millstone. I think common sense would indicate that the requirements for work done at a nuclear power plant should be at the very LEAST equal to a home or building elsewhere in the state! I don't know all the legalities about dealing with the Federal government, or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, so that's why my letter is directed at you. It's entirely possible no one ever saw the need to pursue this issue, but I certainly do and would think anyone made aware of it would also. So, is this something you could pursue, or direct me to a person in State government who could? I'd appreciate any guidance you could give me. I know anything to do with labor is a hard sell In government, but this is less of a labor issue an more of a safety issue. Applying existing CT State licensing requirements to the most potentially hazardous sit(

in the state if an accident occurred doesn't seem to be too much to ask.

Sincerely, Robert Vivari Jr.

P.04 OCT-11-2005 12:42 E602586958 99%