ML17037B768

Letter Requesting More Information Concerning the Recent AEC License Awarded to Niagara Mohawk

ML17037B768
Person / Time
Site:	Nine Mile Point
Issue date:	04/21/1965
From:	Humphrey H US SEN (Senate)
To:	Seaborg G US Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)
References
Download: ML17037B768 (11)

Text

(Dictated over the phone by Lavinia 5/4/65, 12:00 noon)

The Vice President Washington April 21, 1965

Dear Glenn:

I received the enclosed letter concerning the recent AEC license awarded to Niagara Mohawk and I wondered if you could supply me with any more information on the matter.

Thank you.

Sincerely, s/ Hubert H. Humphrey Honorable Glenn T. Seaborg, Chairman United States Atomic Energy Commission Washington, D. C.

April 9, l965 My

Dear Mr. Vice President:

There is enclosed herewith a copy of a lett e er to Honorable ea org, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, concern-ing the employment practices of the Niagaraa Mohawk o aw P ower Corporation. Thiss corcorporation o has been provisionally awarded a contract to build 'a plant in Scriba, New York As you can see, we are asking for the right to show the truth of the facts set forth in that this ci resent circumstances, thee present should not receive this contract.

Respectfully, s/ Carl Rachlin General Counsel Honorable Hubert H. Humphrey The Vice President

i'Qw~t~i !~gtwtilÃlg]tEIgggILC'gIQ 33 PARK ROW NEW YORK 33. NEW YORK COrtlandt 76270 Apx'il 9a 1965 James Farmer rational director Richard Halcy associate Gordon Carey Hon, Glenn T. Seaborg, Chairman Car,'achlln, assistant Esn. Atomic Energy Commission of the general counsel ADVISORY COMMITTEE United States Ralph Abernathy Hashingtona D C 20545 James Baldwin Roger N. Baldwin Katrina M. Barncs Algernon D. Black

Dear Dr. Seaborg:

James B. Carey Allan Knight Chaiincrs Grenvillc Clark John Coglcy The Syracuse Chaptex'f the Congress of Racial Earl B. Oickerson rugcno E. Frazicr Harold Gibbons Equality has been attempting to obtain t'e attention of the Roiare'. Gittelsohn Niagara"Mohawk Power Corporation to the correction of the Sidney Hollander Gcoigc M. Housor E. Stanley Jones latter's employment practices fox many months. i, Bishop F. D. Jordan Martin Luther King Douglas Levin David Livingston It is no secret that these practices do not meet Will Maslow a reasonable standard of fairness. In Syxacuse, fox example, A. J. hlusto Dorothy Nbrman approximately ~g of 1% of the employees of Niagara-Mohawk A. Philip Randolph Ira OeA. Raid are Negro despite the fact that more than 20I. of the popula-Waher P. Reuthcr Hobson R. Reynolds Jackio Robinson tion of the city is Negro.

Arnold M. Rose Fred M. Shuttlcsworth Lillian Smith Qe have been advised that the Atomic Energy Com-C. K. Steels Gardner Taylor mission has tentatively granted a license to Niagara-Mohawk Howard Thurman Bishop W. J. Walls to build a nucleax'ower plant in Scriba, New York, at Goodwin Watson Joseph Wilton Nine Mile Point. $ $ ile Niagara-Mohadcmay be technically and Jerry Wurf financially qualified to design and build such a plant, we Charles S. Zimmcrman OFFICERS Floyd B. McKissick chairman strongly uzge that it does not meet the minimum standards of the United States Constitution nor a reasonable standard of Rudolph Lombard 1st vice chairman fai=ness. Xt is a publicly granted monopoly with publicly Vfilfred Usscry protected profits. By awarding such a contract to Niagara

~'.ohafea you aze further increasing its profits and further

. 2nd vice chairman Ralph 'Rosenfcld secretary Alan Gartner dim=:ni'shing the rights of American citizens to equal oppor treasurer James Peck tun" ty and fair employment. Surely, mere technical skill CORElatcr editor must not, be the test of who receives a major contract from STAFF the Usted States government.

Hill 'orman program director James McCain director of organization Of course, we need not remind you of the obU.gations Marvin Rich community relations director of the federal government under Title UX.of the 1964 Civil

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II Hon. Glenn T. Seaborg April 9, 1965 P3'fe Page 2 urgently request the opportunity to be heard by you o b e fore

- ay provisional the expi" ation o the 45-da r period. We await your word as to the time and place of the hearingo We wi11 produce such witnesses as are necessary+

Respectfully /

',(Qi,ip I, Cari Rachlin General Counsel cc: Hon, Hubert H Humphrey Honi Nelson Rockef eller jj5"

",) foal Hon. James A. Lundy, Chairman New York State Public Service Commission L~k Faith Seidenberg, Esq.

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A If<set I'hihp Avn<tntnh over this company. This is a tentative contract 'ower ten fsnn Rnitl Wnttn ~ f fin<< list r as I understand it. Certninly,you have the power to Hntl ~ <si ~ A Any<en<<It InrfliAe hinlnn Arnn<<l M Rivi refuse to make it permanent. lv

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April 23, 1965 Carl Rachlin, Esq.

General Counsel Congress of Racial Equality 38 Park Row Hew York 38, Hew York

Dear Nr. Rachlin:

Chaixman Seaborg has asked me to reply to your leCCer dated April 9, 1965, in which you request the opportunity to be heard while Che Niagara-Mohawk construction permit proceeding is pending revimr before the Commission. I understand that your interest relates to Che question of the fairness of the employment pxactices of Niagara Mohawk.

There has been some misunderstanding perhaps concern ing the puxpose and scope of the proceeding. The peading proceeding involves only the regulatory functions of Che Commission. The provisions of Che Atomic Eaex'gy AcC of 1954, 42 Q.S.C. Sec. 2011 et seq., limit the Commis sion's )urisdiction in regulatory matters Co questions of public health and safety aad ceamon defense and security.

The Ccmmission does not have authority in its.x'egulatory proceedings to take other considerations of social policy into account, no matter how worthy theix purpose.

Xn your letter you have also xeferred to the obliga-tions of the Federal Goverameat undex'itle VX of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Your refexence to this px'ovisioa may be based upon the assumption that there is federal fiaancial assistance involved in the Niagara Mohawk pro)ect. In fact, however, the entire pro)ect is priv ately financed and ad.3.1 receive ao fiaiacial assistance from the Commission. The Commission, of'course, is making every effort to comply scrupulously with both the spirit aad the letter of Che 19@a Civil Rights Act in all px'o grams to which that, act applies.

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Carl Rachlin, Esq.

X trust that you ~9.11 understand, therefore, that. the Commission has no authority or )urisdiction to consider the matters raised in your letter.

I regret any inconvenience our delay in responding may have caused you. Xf X can be oZ any &xrtber assistance, p3.ease let me know.

Sincerely yours, S~gnerl

-O~elt~ F Hennessey Joseph F. Hennessey General Counsel

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