ML18025A055

Letter from Richard S. Schweiker, Us Senator to NRC for Consideration & View Forwarding Communication from Citizens Against Nuclear Dangers

ML18025A055
Person / Time
Site:	Susquehanna
Issue date:	01/05/1979
From:	Schweiker R US Congress, US SEN (Senate)
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
Download: ML18025A055 (7)

Text

WASHINGTONo D.Co 205!O v 8 Jar~~ 1" r

'Ee: Nuclear Regulatory Commission 17 17 H Street~ ig Ve

.~ashingtor., C.C. 205 55 FRC;I: Richard S. Sch~ei3cer Urited ="tates Serator Because of the desire of this office to re responsive to al'quiries and communications, your consideration oZ the attached. is requested.

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)fT%N AGAINST NUGIEAR DANGERS R.D.t 1 Box 377 Berwi.ck, Pa. 18603 12/1a/78 0 Q'b~ ++ Q SENATOR RICHARD S, SCHMEIKER o~ +O

~oo;V. +i~o U.S. SENATE 0%%o+a MASHINGTON, D.C.

HONORABLE SENATOR SCHMEIKER !

ATTACHED IS A COPY OF AN IMPORTANT COMMUNICATION TO THE U.S'UCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION. ME HOPE THAT YOU MILL STUDY IT CAREFULLY, AND ENDORSE OUR OBJECTIVES AND RECOMMENDATIONS.

SINCERELY, IRENE LIHANOMICZ CHAIRPERSON C .A.N.D, P.S. LET US BE AMARE OF ALL NUCLEAR DANGERS IN OUR STATE.

GENERATION OF RADIOACTIVE MASTES, TRANSPORTATION, EMISSIONS)

REPOSITORIES, ETC.

Citizens Against Nuclear Dangers P.O. Box 377, R.D. gl ga> 4 Berw1ck, pennsylvania 18503

)lp- < ~'/ Deceaber 4, i/78 Secretary of the Commis U.S. Nuclear Regulatory C Washington, D.C. 20555

Reference:

Application for Facility Operating Licenses; 0 50-388)

Permit Noa. GP&101 and CPPR-102 (Docket Nos. 50-367 Pennsylvania Power h Light Company's atomic power faclllty known as the "Susquehanna Steam Electric Station,"

Units 1 and 2, Berwick, Pa.

Dear Hr Secretary:

In response to slm11ar correspondence, each dated November 3, 1978, from a- NRC lawyer and another Washington lawyer standing-in for the PAL, the Citizens Against Nuclear Dangers (Citizens) offer tbe following observations and recommendations to the parties involved.

Tbe Citizens, in lta timely petitions filed wit'b tbe NRC, clearly outlined some of its contentions. The Citizens believe that they are relevant and ln tbe public interest, ln that they pertain primarily to issues of publlo health and safety, which we presume should also be a primary concern of'be NRC,. in reviewing the Operating Permit Applications for the PPhL Berwlck Atomic Plant, under construction.

We do not precelve any aerit ln the request to confer with the attorneys refer red to above. The NRC staff lawyer, in fact, has

'wo already exhibited <<hat appears to be bias ln this case. We, also l gather from their correspondence that they apparently do not truly recognize our legitimate contentions. So, we defer from taking part in a suggested pre-pre-hearing conference, lf only to avoid tbe slightest appearance of deal-making. The Citizens urge the other interveners to do likewise. Our First and Fifth Amendment Rights are involved.

, Tbe Citizens have sufficient research prepared to go directly

'o public bear'lngs.. We do, however, acknowledge that tbe other parties aay need considerable time to prepare for tbe forthcoming public hearings. Tbe Citizens. wiH. agree to such necessary delays on their part, and we will be ready when the other parties sre...

3ecause of tbe potential enormous impacts on the human environment in the Common~saith by the PP8:L Atomic Plant and tbe UHV transmission to Allegheny =lectr1c, tbe Citizens hereby pet1tion the ent1re Congressional Delegation from Pennsylvania to closely monitor tbe dealings of the NRC prior to and during tbe hearings, 1n 11gbt of tbe GAO report, to be sure that tbe Const1tutional Rights and the "right to know" of the interveners and their witnesses are fully protected. In a word, no "Catch 22" bureaucratic or legal slight-of-band should enter 1nto tbe proceedings. Of course, tbe Congressmen snd their aidea are invited to witness tbe publ1c bearing, to be scheduled early next year.

The obligation to interpret government rules and regulat1ons along Constitutional lines to insure that tbe public>>interest interveners're afforded full protection and due process of law lies squarely with tbe ilRC Tbe Congress, for its part, should

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exert its power of overs1ght regarding the ÃPC in this csee.

Yours truly mrs. Irene Lemsnow1cz Chairper son Citizens Aga1nst kluclear Dangers P.S. he g".-.C is requested to furnish tbe Citizens with the official railroad safety 1nspectors'cc1dent reports on the CONRAIL derailment of a train engine and flatcar carrying tbe million dollar transformer that was damaged as a result of the run-ewey train dera1lment on the premises of tbe PPEL Atom1c Plant construction site near 3erwicY., Pa., occurring on Thursday, Octooer 26, 1978.

C ~ Co Atomic Safety 8: Licensing 3oard Panel Ps. Congress1onal Delegat1on Comptroller General of tbe U.S. - GAO President, PP&L, Allentown, Pa.

Susquehanna =nvironmental Advocates

>!s. Colleen Zarsh, et al.

"-nvironmental Coalition on nuclear Power

In regards to the actual public hearings, the follow1ng preferences and recommendations are outl1ned for careful consideration by all part1es:

l) The city of Wilkes-terre, pennsylvania (the county seat of Luzerne County) be des1gnated as the locality for the publ1c hearings; The pp&L Atom1c plant site is 1n Salem Township, Luzerne County.

2) The Federal Courthouse 1n Nilkes-Barre be reserved as the public hearing site;

5) witnesses for each interven1ng group should be allowed to present the1r separate testimony and exhib1ts relating to each category or content1on submitted for the hearing agendas

4) The corporate off1cers and managers who w111 be directly responsible for the supervision of the +hL Atomic plant should, be ordered to appear in person and testify under oath, and submit to cross-examination under oath. (Surrogates should be disallowed);

5) Local, State, Federal and Industry offic1als who will regulate and 1nspect all aspects of the fuel cycle pertaining to Permits Nos. CPPR-101 and C~-102 (Cocket Nos. 50-387 and 50-388) should be directed to test1fy also under s1milar guilelines.

6) Pursuant to the Freedom of Informat1on Act, et al, the intervening parties should be promptly furnished, free of charge, one true cert1fied set of the complete NRC file, including:

applications, correspondence, NRC s aff reports, memorandums, safety and environmental studies and reports, legal documents, and any other pertinent government date relating to Permit Nos. CPPR-101 and CPPR-102; and Docket Nos. 50->87 and 50->88. (see post script for one example);

The Citizens believe that this reouest for publ1c documents 1s reasonable, necessary snd 1n the public interest.

In conclusion, the Citizens respectfully reminds the N'RC that the United States General Accounting Office recently conducted an investigative study of the NRC and published, a critical report to the Congress entitled: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission Needs to A "ressivel honitor And Indenendentl =-valuate Nuclear Powernlant Construction. This report points out deficiencies at the NRC in the past, affect1ng, among other things, the public' right to be protected from nuclear dangers.

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