ML063400380

Letter from Barry Jacobs to C. S. Hinnant Respectfully Declining Offer of a Tour of Shearon Harris Nuclear Facility

ML063400380
Person / Time
Site:	Harris
Issue date:	11/30/2006
From:	Jacobs B Orange County, NC, Board of Commissioners
To:	Hinnant C Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, Progress Energy Co
References
Download: ML063400380 (2)

Text

BARRYJACOBS, CHAIR ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS STEPHEN H. HALKICTIS, VICE-CHAIR MOSES CAREY, JR POST OFFICE Box 8181 VALERIE P. FOUSHEE 200 SOUTH CAMERON STREET ALICE M. GORDON HILLSBOROUGH, NORTH CAROLINA 27278 November 30, 2006 Mr. C.S. Hinnant Senior Vice President and Chief Nuclear Officer Progress Energy P.O. Box 1551 Raleigh, N.C. 27602

Dear Mr. Hinnant:

Thank you for your kind offer of a tour of Progress Energy's Shearon Harris nuclear facility. At this time, I must respectfully decline and recommend that my colleagues on the Orange County Board of Commissioners and on'other elected bodies within our county do likewise.

I am not inclined to lend my presence because, despite repeated assurances to the contrary, Progress Energy has not been responsive to the concerns expressed by our board on matters of public'health and safety.

While our objections to extending the license of Shearon Harris relate to alleged fire safety deficiencies, they include corollary and longstanding reservations regarding the adequacy of evacuation procedures surrounding the plant. The Orange County Board of Commissioners adopted resolutions regarding Shearon Harris on October 3 with Marty Clayton in attendance. Mr. Clayton was asked specifically about Progress Energy's willingness to work with local governments on expanding and strengthening evacuation planning to a 50-mile radius surrounding the plant. He stated that he would take this concern back to Progress Energy.-

To date, we have received no further response..

This followed a March 22 presentation by Bill Johnson at the Triangle J Council of Governments at which several elected officials, myself included, inquired as to whether Progress Energy would voluntarily expand the planning area for evacuations.

Mr. Johnson said he would consider it, and told me as he was leaving that he would also like to discuss Orange Cuii-ty's-previous-interVention regaardin~g the storage of high-level radioactive waste in pools at the Shearon Harris facility.

To date, we have received no further response.

WWWCO.ORANGE.NC. US PROTECTINGAND PRESERVING - PEOPLE, RESOURCES, QUALITY OFLIFE ORANGE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA - YOU. COUNT!

(919)245-2t30. FAX (919)644-0246

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Page 2 This silence leads me to conclude that Progress Energy is not serious about addressing our concerns, but is only interested in appearing to be open and receptive.

You may recall that, at the time we did intervene in the matter of the storage of high-level radioactive waste at Shearon Harris, we were similarly. offered tours of the facility. I met you and other staff members from what was then Carolina Power and Light when I took that tour in the late nineties. While everyone was cordial, a guided tour by professionals of lay people is not likely either to allow knowledgeable, probing questions or to unearth significant truths.

Therefore, I would consider it a much more meaningful offer if any tour of the facility would include representation from NCWARN, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and members of the news media. Such a delegation would allow more informed questioning, and a more transparent discussion of issues of importance to the region and to our constituents.

Thank you for your consideration.

Barry J a S, b.a' r Oran ounty Bo f Co missioners CC: Board of County Commissioners Kevin Foy, Mayor of Chapel Hill Mark Chilton, Mayor of Carrboro Jim Warren, NCWARN David Lochbaum, Union of Concerned Scientists Robert Gruber, Executive Director of Public Staff, N.C. Utilities Commission Bryan E. Beatty, Secretary, N.C. Department of Crime Control and Public Safety

,Robert B. (Bob) McGehee, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Progress Energy Mr. Doug Pickett, Acting Branch Chief, Plant Licensing Branch 11-2, Division of Operating Reactor Licensing,Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation .