ML18155A319
| ML18155A319 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | HI-STORE |
| Issue date: | 05/14/2018 |
| From: | Gadzia K, Gadzia T Resource Management Services |
| To: | May Ma Office of Administration |
| References | |
| 83FR13802 00124, NRC-2018-0052 | |
| Download: ML18155A319 (2) | |
Text
Kirk L. and Tamara E. Gadzia.* P.O. Box 1100
- Bernalillo,' NM 87004
- Phone 505-263-8677
- kirk@nnsgadzia.com tamarag@rmsgadzia.com May 14, 2018 May Ma, Office of Administration Mail Stop: 1WFN-7-A60M US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, DC 20555-001 Template=
ADM-013 E-RIDS=ADM-03
.ADD= Anntoinette Walker-Smith, Jill Caverly (JSCl)
COMMENT (#124)
PUBLICATION DA TE:
3/30/2018 CITATION: 83 FR 13802 Re: Docket. ID NRC-2018-0052 Holtec lrdemational's HI-STORE Consolidated Interim Storage Facility Project for Spent Nuclear Fuel in Lea County, New Mexico
Dear NRC 'Representative:
/
As 40-year residents of New Mexico we 8R;l deeply conrerned about Jhe potential negative inpacls of Holtec lnlemationafs ~ial plan to astore* up to 100,000 *1ons of high level dangerous nuclear reactor waste in Olff' state. I work across the state and internationally in the field of livestock production. The livesfock and livestock product induslly are one of the largest in New Mexico producing"over $7 bilion in revenues annually. We believe New Mexico's vital agricultural inferesls Wlll be-negatively impacted' by 1hisplan.. My wife Tamara has also worked acros:s:the,-slate in land restoratibnwilhQoivira.Coalifionand-~*~*~*izations. dedicated--
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UUICI *~r-t"'Vl:11. -~*
u.>.18$111'19 WClll:l~IICU healh:in degraded.ecosystems. We both hold-~ of ~degrees in Ra)Qe*-Management and Biology respectively.
For the sake.of bleviy and clarity we haw bulleted some of our other main concerns below.
This plan would create multiple targets for terrorism including storage location, transportation routes, and transportation vehicles. No plan is in place to deal wilh this 1hreat and it wiB be very
~
to inplernentan*effective plan.
More than 10,000 rail cars of this risky wasle would nanble on New Mexico rails, in a process that would 1ake 20 years, likely travelling along l--40, and 1-25 to Carlsbad. Each loaded car would weigh at least 33% more than the tracks are designed to cany. Ead1 rail car.would carry more deadly plu1onhm than was in 1he bomb dropped on 'Nagasaki. This aeates a very high likelihood
. of an a.a:ident wilh disastrous consequenms.
A massive sinkhole has developed near Carlsbad right by the railroad tracks. Toe a.ment estinale to stabize this sinkhole is $45 million, with costs rising as the sinkhole increases. It makes no sense.to transport nuclear waste on <Nel1oaded tracks along 1his ~
when there have been seven acciden1s on the railroads i1 New Mexico in just the last ~_years.
This trarispoltation risk and terrorism th~ not only affects New Mexico but al the olher slates
~,and communities whpse rail mules Y!()Uld bring this nuclear waste to our: state. These wastes
- need-to~remain in the places~ ~Y were created and not generale'addilional:safety hazards for New Mexico and aU the other.slates who did not produce. this. waste;
- Our state proudly calls itself the ~nd of Enchantmenr because of ils natural beauty and clean environment Toe* nation's perooption of our state will be damaged beyond repair if 1his plan is approved and inplemented. Does the 0Land of Nuclear Waste" sound appealing?
- This plan oould devaslale an.alreadyfragile New Mexico economy with losses from tourism, oil and gas. agriculluret IOO.Vie and social media industries. These losses will not ever come dose to being compensated by the creation of a mere 55 jobs wilh Hollec's plan.
Having a nuclear waste facility kx:ated *between Carlsbad and Hobbs couM decimale local communities and their economies dependent on tourism to Carlsbad Caverns National park.
Guadalupe Mountains National Park and New Mexico state parks. In 2016, Carlsbad Caverns tourism generated 33.8 million dollars and provided 444 locaJ jobs. In 2017, 520,026 peop1e (up from 466,773 in 2016) visi1ed Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Not to mention the affect a nuclear waste accident could have on the cavern's bat population. local agriculture depends on those bats for insect control!
- The irradiated fuel rods would be stored above ground and contained in thin steel canislefs,. later surrounded by cement Most existing low-1evel rad"IOaCINe waste sites have leaked, with remecr~ costs running into the billions of dollars. Congress. has failed to ever appropriate enough money to clean them up.
The proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste storage site in Nevada was the subject of intense research and debate from 1987 till 2009 when it was witf:)drawn from consideration as a viable long-term storage site. 'Why hasn~t such a research*and public information and comment period.*
been put forward for1he site proposed in New Mexico? tt has no less risks than Yucca Moun1ain and has not been given the review necessary to viably determine its feasibiflly lrom any standpoint New Mexico is home to the fourth largest Native American population in 1he U.S. These peop1e have rived here for centuries before European settlement and have atways urged planners to think 7 Generations ahead. The greatly dininished legacy and options we leave future generations if we bring the nations nuclear waste to New Mexico are not worth tile gain some corporation will get if its plan is approved.
We*have*numerous other conoems and *are.frankly both in disbelief that this plan has been put forward with so little opportunity for pubfic input This plan attempts to basically destroy New Mexico with imported nuclear waste. It seems like this plan is about the moneylor one small company with no concern for the health and safety of New Mexico's people, land and culture. This plan should be stopped NOW. Just say NO to Holtec.
With greatest concern, rk L. and Ta~ra E. Gadzia