ML061110039
| ML061110039 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Palisades  |
| Issue date: | 04/04/2006 |
| From: | Wald M The New York Times |
| To: | Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| References | |
| Download: ML061110039 (1) | |
Text
Study Faults
~ d Rules Q)
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(- Reactors THE NEW YORK TIMES NATIONAL TUESDAY APRIL 4, 2006 ByMATHEW. L. WALD WASHINGTON, April 3 - After consulting with the Industry, the Nu-clear Regulatory Commission weak-en*d security regulations it had pro-posed for reactors, government au- : 's'An overly cozy ditorssa~id in a report to be released on-Tuesday.1..', is.. relationship'with
,jrhe auditors said the process "cre-ak-fte.the Reappearano.3 that the industry is seen.
cljnges'wereiiiade based on what the -lndustry consider'ed 'reasonable an4 feasible to defend against rather than an-assessment of the terrorist . often not allowed to talk informally tl~eat Iseu4'p. : . to commissioners, because they
! report, by the Go vernment Ac-
- were the ultimate arbiters of what rules were Issued. But the industry cowuntabilityOffice, stopped short of appears to have done just that on se-
- attg that? -the. connii~slon had ' curity, Mr. Lochbaum said, consult-6 changesi"based solely on in- ~ing with the commission, members dtiitryvieivs."rdg i ',i after they received recommenda-hebstudy,. requested by Repre- -i; tionsfrom agency staff members.
sentative.Christopher Shays, a Con- . 4 "How did the commissioners de-nkctcut Republican who is the chair-' :ide to overrule their staff?" he rr'n np..6hesubcommitl ee on national ' : asked.
security of the House Government .Mr.' Brenner, the commission Reform :Commi~lee,.did not draw . , spokesman, said he knew of no direct any broad conclusions about'the ac- - communicationbetween the industry tual level of security.,at the plants, and the commission members; the
.except to note that drils had not been a- communication had been with' the held at:most of the plants since the t commission's staff, he said.
neW.requirements tool: effect on Oct. Thecommissionhascutoffalmost T'
29,. ?20G4.rThe :03 operable reactors s all public discussion on, security is-
- ar spread'among 65 :;ltes, but as of . sues; the government accountability the .en( of March, only 27' have had __ .report is one of the few independent exercisesdinwhich attackers and de- ' looks at the status of the plants.
'feiders-used laser guns to -test pre- L The subcommittee will hear testi-pa ednessj-according to the subcom- - mony on Tuesday afternoon from the no commission, the industry and inde-ii.Shv in- a statenment, said: pendent security experts.
- These GAO. findings; paint a decid- In its report, the auditing agency
- diy mixed picture of nuclear power ;- singled out two changes that the security.today. . Whill documented, * *-commissioners had made to recom-progress has been made In strength- _mendations by the agency's staff
-- enig reactor security standards, the .. about the weapons that the attackers I ticlear -Regulatory. . Commission * . 'F would be assumed to carry.
- seermi nable to fortify Itself against . ma The staff expanded the list of
'tlia erofan averly'cozy rela-. :-.4weapons that plants would have to
- tnth1Vwlthnthe-industry." *' ,-defend against, but the commission
- f..-)3e added, ."The.re:lulated should ,qtdeleted two of them. While the G.A.O.
-'noleven appear to be able tQ dictate - did. not specify the two, people in-tystandards to the regulator." 0s volved in the process said they were sokesman for the commisslon, rocket-propelled grenades, which h er, .laotthe agency had lsaed ,." are common around the world, and P.mde4siqg the Sept.
Iksy after"1 at- 50-callber sniper rifles, which can be ktaicstto.ryew its Jules, Including bought legally in the United States.
LtecharacteristlsL.we attacking a.force; that the 'plants ni~atate Spe spared to defend against, called the:
- ,design basis threat."
'-Making changes td the design ba-jis threat while simultaneously sollc-ttg feedback fronm the industry
'iiay~bave. contributed to'the im'pres-
- ,o,.~nomndue influence, Mr. Brenner
- >4; prpmine~nt critic of the nuclear stryt<DavldoLchbaum of the of Concerned Scientists, said inerview that'his group was