ML19208D280
| ML19208D280 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 08/17/1979 |
| From: | Gossick L NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Trible P HOUSE OF REP. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19208D281 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7909280192 | |
| Download: ML19208D280 (2) | |
Text
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,o, UNITED STATES
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. AUG $71979 E5 The Honorable Paul Trible United States House of Representatives Wasningfon, D. C.
20515
Dear Congressman Trible:
I apologize for not providing this response to you sooner but, as you are aware, the Connission and staff have been occupied with continued support of the efforts at Three Mile Island, Orders to other facilities, appearances before the President's Ccmmission and various committees of Congress that are investigating +he Three Mile Island accident, and the realignment of our own resources ind priorities to give imediate atten-tion to the problems resulting fr:xn the accident.
On May 25, 1979, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission directed its staff to prepare an Environmental Assessment of proposals to decantaminate and dispose of radioactively contaminated waste water from the Three Mile Island Unit 2 facility (TMI). The first portion of the Assessment will deal with the proposed decontamination of the intermediate level waste water using the EPICOR-II system r.t TMI. The Assessment will include discussions of potential risks to the public health and safety, including occupational exposures and the risk of accidental releases, and a discus-sion of alternatives to the EPICOR-II system. The licensee has been directed by the Commission not to operate the EPICOR-II system, pending completion of thf portion of the Assessment and opportunity for public comment. However, testing of the EPICOR-II system without using con-taminated waste may proceed.
Furthermore, except for gipcharge of waste water decontaminated by / as the existing EPICOR-I system _/ and discharge of industrial waste water _2 consistent with the facility operating license, no discharge of processed intermediate level waste water will be permitted until completion of a second portion of the Assessment dealing with any such proposed additional discharges. This portion will include a discussion of alternatives to discharge into the Susquehanna niver.
1/Primarily pre-accident' waste oter from Unit 1 which has been partially contaminated by water from Unit 2, with_ an activity level of less than 1 microcurie per ml prior to treatment and with an activity level approxi-mately 10 -7 microcuries per al in the discharge canal after treatment.
2/ Waste water slightly contaminated (approximately 10-7 microcuries per ml) due to leakage from secondary plant service support systems. The dis-charge of this industrial waste water is necessary to maintain TMI Unit 2 in a safe condition.
7909280(9 1038 ',.
UO II 1979 The Honorable Paul Trible.-
The decontamination and disposal of high-level waste water will be the subject of a subsequent Assessment.
When completed, a copy of each Asssessment prepared on this matter will be made available to the public.
Of pritae consideration in the matter of' TMI liquid waste processing, as in all matters for which we have responsibility,13 the health and safety of the public. The course of action that we are following, as described above, will assure that a thorough safety review and Environmental Assessment are completed and that the health and safety of all off-site population groups will be protected.
Sincarely, (Signed) Lee V. Gassi;a, Lee V. Gossick Executive Director for Operations O
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