ML060340131
| ML060340131 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Vermont Yankee File:NorthStar Vermont Yankee icon.png |
| Issue date: | 03/04/2006 |
| From: | Dyer J Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Block J - No Known Affiliation |
| SHea J, NRR/DLPM,415-1388 | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML060340216 | List: |
| References | |
| 2.206, G20050706, TAC MC8632 | |
| Download: ML060340131 (7) | |
Text
March 4, 2006 Mr. Jonathan M. Block 94 Main Street P.O. Box 566 Putney, VT 05346-0566
Dear Mr. Block:
This letter responds to the petition that you filed with the Executive Director for Operations pursuant to Section 2.206 of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR 2.206) on October 11, 2005. In your petition, you requested that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issue an emergency order for a temporary closure or de-rating of the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station (VY) as a result of flooding and storm damage to the city of Keene, the town of Hinsdale, and other portions of New Hampshire that are part of existing evacuation routes for VY, during local flooding that occurred on October 8 and 9, 2005.
During a teleconference on October 18, 2005, the NRC Petition Manager, Mr. James Shea, informed you that your emergency request for temporary plant closure or de-rating was denied, based on an evaluation by the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (DHS/FEMA) regarding the State of New Hampshires establishment of alternate evacuation routes during the time of the flooding. In that teleconference, you raised additional concerns about whether FEMA and the State of New Hampshire have plans for an evacuation if an event were to occur at VY simultaneously with a natural disaster. Specifically, you were concerned with how people would evacuate from the city of Keene and the town of Hinsdale while roads were flooded and if there were alternative assembly points and decontamination centers for people who normally would evacuate through these flooded areas.
Finally, you asked what the NRC is doing to ensure that contingency evacuation plans are in place. On October 26, 2005, we informed you that your additional concerns regarding emergency planning had been accepted for review by the NRC staff pursuant to Section 2.206 of the Commissions regulations.
The NRC staff sent a copy of the proposed directors decision (DD) to you and to Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc. (Entergy), the licensee for VY for comment on December 7, 2005.
The NRC staff did not receive any comments on the proposed DD.
The final DD addresses the requested actions as follows: The NRC staff in consultation with DHS/FEMA confirmed that during the flooding on October 8 and 9, 2005, near VY, the State of New Hampshire had established and coordinated potential alternate evacuation routes in the unlikely event of an emergency at VY and that shutting down or de-rating the station was not warranted. Therefore, your request of October 11, 2005, to shut down or de-rate VY was denied. In addition, the NRC staff found that the safe operation of VY was not threatened by the flooding and that the local emergency response organizations could implement protective actions if necessary, to protect public health and safety, in accordance with their emergency procedures, regardless of local severe weather conditions or other natural disasters coincident with an emergency at VY.
J. M. Block A copy of DD-06-02 will be filed with the Secretary of the Commission for the Commission to review in accordance with 10 CFR 2.206(c). As provided for by this regulation, the decision will constitute the final action of the Commission 25 days after the date of the decision unless the Commission, on its own motion, institutes a review of the DD within that time. The documents cited in this letter and the enclosed DD are available in ADAMS for inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, located at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland, and from the ADAMS Public Library component on the NRC Web site http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Electronic Reading Room).
I have also enclosed a copy of the notice of Issuance of Directors Decision Under 10 CFR 2.206 that has been filed with the Office of the Federal Register for publication. Thank you for bringing these concerns to the attention of the NRC. Please feel free to contact Mr. James Shea, petition manager, at 301-415-1388, to discuss any questions related to this petition.
Sincerely,
/RA/
J. E. Dyer, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-271
Enclosures:
- 1. Directors Decision
- 2. Federal Register Notice cc w/encls: See next page
J. M. Block A copy of DD-06-02 will be filed with the Secretary of the Commission for the Commission to review in accordance with 10 CFR 2.206(c). As provided for by this regulation, the decision will constitute the final action of the Commission 25 days after the date of the decision unless the Commission, on its own motion, institutes a review of the DD within that time. The documents cited in this letter and the enclosed DD are available in ADAMS for inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, located at One White Flint North, 11555 Rockville Pike (first floor), Rockville, Maryland, and from the ADAMS Public Library component on the NRC Web site http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/adams.html (the Electronic Reading Room).
I have also enclosed a copy of the notice of Issuance of Directors Decision Under 10 CFR 2.206 that has been filed with the Office of the Federal Register for publication. Thank you for bringing these concerns to the attention of the NRC. Please feel free to contact Mr. James Shea, petition manager, at 301-415-1388, to discuss any questions related to this petition.
Sincerely,
/RA/
J. E. Dyer, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket No. 50-271
Enclosures:
- 1. Directors Decision
- 2. Federal Register Notice cc w/encl: See next page DISTRIBUTION: See next page Package: ML060340216 Incoming: ML052910172 Response: ML060340131 Directors Decision: ML060340326 Federal Register Notice: ML060340246 OFFICE LPLI-1/PM LPLI-1/LA Tech Editor INSIR/BC LPLI-1/BC NAME JShea SLittle PKleene AMcMurtray RLaufer DATE 02/9/06 02/13/06 02/15/06 02/21/06 02/22/06 OFFICE DORL/D NRR/D NAME CHaney JDyer DATE 02/27/06 03/4/06 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
DISTRIBUTION FOR LETTER TO JONATHAN M. BLOCK RE: REQUEST FOR EMERGENCY ENFORCEMENT ACTION UNDER 2.206 TO ADDRESS EVACUATIONS DURING AN EVENT AT VERMONT YANKEE COUPLED WITH STORM DAMAGE:
Dated: March 4, 2006 DISTRIBUTION: G20050706 PUBLIC RidsEdoMailCenter EDO Reading PDLI-1 Reading RidsNrrOd RidsNrrAdpt RidsOpaMail RidsOcaMailCenter RidsOcaaMailCenter RidsAcrsAcnwMailCenter RidsNrrWpcMail NRR Mail Room RidsNrrDORLLpdi RidsNrrDORLLpdi1 RidsNrrPMDSkay RidsNrrPMJShea LCox RidsNrrLASLittle RidsAslbpDocket RidsRgn1MailCenter HCheng EJulian, SECY RidsOgc Rp RidsOigMailCenter
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station cc:
Regional Administrator, Region I U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 475 Allendale Road King of Prussia, PA 19406-1415 Mr. David R. Lewis Pillsbury, Winthrop, Shaw, Pittman, LLP 2300 N Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20037-1128 Ms. Christine S. Salembier, Commissioner Vermont Department of Public Service 112 State Street Montpelier, VT 05620-2601 Mr. Michael H. Dworkin, Chairman Public Service Board State of Vermont 112 State Street Montpelier, VT 05620-2701 Chairman, Board of Selectmen Town of Vernon P.O. Box 116 Vernon, VT 05354-0116 Operating Experience Coordinator Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station 320 Governor Hunt Road Vernon, VT 05354 G. Dana Bisbee, Esq.
Deputy Attorney General 33 Capitol Street Concord, NH 03301-6937 Chief, Safety Unit Office of the Attorney General One Ashburton Place, 19th Floor Boston, MA 02108 Ms. Carla A. White, RRPT, CHP Radiological Health Vermont Department of Health P.O. Box 70, Drawer #43 108 Cherry Street Burlington, VT 05402-0070 Mr. James M. DeVincentis Manager, Licensing Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station P.O. Box 0500 185 Old Ferry Road Brattleboro, VT 05302-0500 Resident Inspector Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box 176 Vernon, VT 05354 Director, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency ATTN: James Muckerheide 400 Worcester Rd.
Framingham, MA 01702-5399 Mr. John F. McCann Director, Nuclear Safety Assurance Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. Gary J. Taylor Chief Executive Officer Entergy Operations 1340 Echelon Parkway Jackson, MS 39213
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station cc:
Mr. John T. Herron Sr. VP and Chief Operating Officer Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. Danny L. Pace Vice President, Engineering Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. Brian OGrady Vice President, Operations Support Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. Michael J. Colomb Director of Oversight Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. John M. Fulton Assistant General Counsel Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601 Mr. Jay K. Thayer Site Vice President Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station P.O. Box 0500 185 Old Ferry Road Brattleboro, VT 05302-0500 Mr. Kenneth L. Graesser 38832 N. Ashley Drive Lake Villa, IL 60046 Mr. James Sniezek 5486 Nithsdale Drive Salisbury, MD 21801 Ms. Stacey M. Lousteau Treasury Department Entergy Services, Inc.
639 Loyola Avenue New Orleans, LA 70113 Mr. Raymond Shadis New England Coalition Post Office Box 98 Edgecomb, ME 04556 Mr. James P. Matteau Executive Director Windham Regional Commission 139 Main Street, Suite 505 Brattleboro, VT 05301 Mr. William K. Sherman Vermont Department of Public Service 112 State Street Drawer 20 Montpelier, VT 05620-2601 Venessa Quinn, Chief Radiological Emergency Preparedness Sec.
Department of Homeland Security 1800 S. Bell Street, Room 837 Crystal City-Arlington, VA 22202-3546 Deborah Bell, Chair Regional Assistance Committee FEMA, Region 1 99 High Street, 6th Floor Boston, MA 02110 Craig J. Fiore Radiological Emergency Preparedness Sec.
Department of Homeland Security 1800 South Bell Street-Room 839 Crystal City-Arlingong, VA 22202-3546 Mr. Michael R. Kansler President Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.
440 Hamilton Avenue White Plains, NY 10601