ML19207C475
| ML19207C475 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 05000463, 05000464 |
| Issue date: | 07/25/1979 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | MARTIC TOWNSHIP, PEQUEA, PA |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19207C473 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7909110670 | |
| Download: ML19207C475 (2) | |
Text
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UNITED STATES g
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION y
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,8 July 25, 1979 Docket Nos. 50-463 and 50-464 Martic Township Supervisors Bax 59B Pequea, Pennsylvania 17565 Gentlemen:
This letter responds to your resolution of June 4,1979 expressing opposition to an early site review for the Fulton Generating Station and asking that the NRC reject the application.
With regard to the latter point, NRC regulations do not provide for the staff, on its own initiative, to decline to conduct an early site review for which proper application has been made. To do so would amount to prejudging an application befor.e all of the facts about it were kno,a.
He believe that a fairer assessment of the suitability of a site for a nuclear plant can be made by following the normal review procedure.
In the normal staff review, we give due consideration to the views of local governing bodies on matters such as were brought up in your resolution.
You will have further opportunity to present your views at the early site review hearing before an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board.
At the present time, the NRC staff is reviewing the Fulton application for an early site review to determine whether it is sufficiently complete to be docketed. Therefore, the detailed early site review has not yet started.
You give as one reason for your opposition to the Fulton plant the excessive density of nuclear facilities in your area.
In considerable part this is because of the availability of cooling water from the Susquehanna River, the low population density in the vicinity, and the prcxinity to load centers where power is needed.
However, the staff in its review will give careful consideration to alternative sites which might be superior in these and other respects.
With regard to your comment on the absence of an evacuation / sheltering plan, the Office of State Programs at present is actively engaged in an enlarged program of reviewing such plans in cooperation with individual states.
This cooperative review is expected to result in more effective programs to provide assurance that the health and safety of the public will be protected in the event of an emergency.
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Martic Township Supervisors Your third point of concern was related to the accident at the Three Mile Island plant.
The NRC staff is currently conducting an extensive evaluatio of the safety implications of the accident.
In addition, severai other groups, including Congressional conmittees and the President's Coctnission, are investigating the accident.
The results of these studies will provide a basis for actions which will reduce the likelihood of future accidents of the type that occurred at Three Mile Island. The necessary changes in plant design, operator training and operating procedures will have been determined long before the safety review for the Fulton plant will begin.
There is, therefore, no need for concern that an early site review will affect the thoroughness and outcome of the safety review.
I hope these comments have been rer.ponsive to your concerns.
Sincerely, 4m 1
Harold R. Denton, Director 7.'
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation 941 270