ML19208C521
| ML19208C521 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 09/11/1979 |
| From: | Hendrie J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Mathias C SENATE |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19208C522 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7909260561 | |
| Download: ML19208C521 (2) | |
Text
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o UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION o
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,E WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555 September 11, 1979 Mb CHAIRMAN The Honorable Charles McC. Mathias, Jr.
United States Senate Washington, D.C.
20510
Dear Senator Mathias:
Your May 25 letter requested that the Nuclear Regulatory Comnission provide you with a full report on any contemplated action and alternative courses of action prior to approving any request from Me=tropolitan Edison Company for pennission to treat and cubsequently discharge radioactive waste water resulting from the March 28 acciident at TMI Unit 2.
You further asked that NRC share its data base with :several other agencies which you have asked to look into the possible tenviironmental effects of any discharges into the Chesapeake Bay region..
On the same day as your letter - May 25, 1979 - the Comvissiion directed the NRC staff to prepare an environmental assessment of : proposals to decontaminate and dispose of TMI waste water prior to arty ptrocessing or discharge into the Susquehanna River.
The first portiorn of' this assessment was issued for public comment on August 14. This portion otf the assessment deals with the proposed decontamination of intennediate ~1evel radioactive waste water from the storage tanks in the TMI-2 auxiliar.y btuilding using specially built equipment - the EPICOR-II system. The s.ecomd portion of the assessment will deal with various alternatives for clisposal.
A third portion will deal with the decontam nation and dis posal of high-i level radioactive waste water from the TMI-2 containment building.
I am enclosing a copy of the first portion of the envircinmental assessment for your information.
I have asked the NRC staff to pra; vide you with the second and third portions when they are published fcor,Jublic comment.
In addition, I have asked that each of the agencies whic:h you mentioned be provided with a copy of the assessment as you reques.ted.
A final decision on the operation of the EPICOR-II systesn willl be made by the Commission. After analysis of the public comments on the environ-mental assessment, the staff will brief the Commission aind the Commission will then decide whether to adopt the staff reconunendat' on.
In the meantime, only test operations not involving the use of contaminated water will be pennitted.
No discharge of processed intennediate-level waste will be permitted until after completion of the second portion of the environmental assessment and a final decision is made by the Commission i tsel f.
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The Honorable Charles McC. Mathias, Jr. There have been some limited discharges into the Susquehanna River from the TMI site.
These consisted of primarily pre-accident waste water from Unit 1 decontaminated by the existing EPICOR-I system and of industrial waste water as consistent with the facility operating license.
The discharge of industrial waste water is necessary to maintain TMI Unit 2 in a safe condition.
In both cases the water may have been slightly contaminated by water from Unit 2 due to leakage.
However, any releases have been within NRC pennissible limits.
I apologize for not providing this response to you sooner but, as you are aware, the Commission and staff have been occupied with continued support of the efforts at Three Mile Island, Orders to other facilities, appearance before the President's Commission and various committees of Congress that are investigating the Three Mile Island (TMI) accident, and the realignment of our own resources and priorities to give immediate attention co the problems resulting from the accident.
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.incerely, 6
JosepyM. Hendrie
Enclosure:
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As stated 98E2d0