ML17138B023

Forwards SD Mills 791025 Request for Info About NRC Practices Re Public Input Into Licensing Proceedings & Free Distribution of Publications

ML17138B023
Person / Time
Site:	Susquehanna
Issue date:	11/02/1979
From:	Schweiker R SENATE
To:	NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
Shared Package
ML17138B024	List: ML17138B023
References
NUDOCS 8001140425
Download: ML17138B023 (4)

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WAS NINGTON, O.C. 20510 November 2, 1979 TO: Nuclear Requlatory Commission 1717 H Street, N W.

Washington, D.C. 20555 FROM: Richard S. Schweiker United States Senator Because o= the desire of this office to be responsive to all inquiries and communications, your consideration of the attached is requested.

YOUR FINDINGS AND VIEWS IH DUPLICATE ONC'ITH RETURN O.. THIS NZidO PLUS ENCLOSUPE WILL 3E APPRECIATED.

Idany thanks.

9305030004 RSS:cs

i30 NOiS 41 N. 4'ater St.

Leiiisburg, PA 17837 October 25, 1979 The Honorable Richard Schweiker 253 Russell Office Building h'ashington, D.C. 20510

Dear Senator Schweiker:

As a resident of Pennsylvania, I am deeply concerned about the lack of fairness and good judgement exhibited recently by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the safety and licensing studies and proceedings for the Pennsylvania Power and Light proposed nuclear powered steam electric station in Berwick.

First, the NRC has increased its limitation of public input into the proceedings, swamping the intervenors with a work load that would prohibit them from continuing their efforts there. (E.g., the intervenors were given

~14 da s to answer 150 questions based on 18 interrogatories which 2,700 separate, extensively researched answers, whereas PP5L was would'equire issued a protective order that gave them 6 to 12 months to complete the same task.)

Second, the NRC recently announced its plan to begin limiting the number of free copies it issues of its orders, decisions, etc., and has also begun to consistently deny requests by intervenors for the publications necessary for them to present their cases. (Please refer to the public record for verification of these complaints, e.g., the announcement regard-ing the limitation of available copies of documents was published on Septem-ber 21, 1979 in the Federal Register.)

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is not regulating but blindly promoting nuclear energy by limiting any opposition to the licenses. If nuclear power is indeed safe and economical, why are the nuclear industry and, seemingly, the NRC so threatened by new insights into the issue that they must prevent them from even being voiced? It is not only the outcome of the nuclear power issue that is at stake here, but the well being and future of democracy itself.

h'hatever the most prudent response to this issue may be, such a response can only be assured of receiving the popular support it deserves if it com-pletely and honestly deals with the conflicts of interest and opinion that it may raise. As one who supports the democratic ideal, who is interested in using his position to protect the mental and physical well being of his countrymen, and whose success as a public servant depends on his ability to fairly re-

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present his constituents, I am confident that you >>ill respond to the best of your ability to this problem and protect the right of freedom of speech for all of the interest groups involved in the NRC hearings on the Berwick nuclear power plant and in all other such issues.

Thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely, Susan D. Mills cc: Representative Allen Ertel The Sunbur Dail Item The New York Times

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