ML19208D290
| ML19208D290 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 08/17/1979 |
| From: | Gossick L NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Walker R HOUSE OF REP. |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19208D291 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7909280202 | |
| Download: ML19208D290 (2) | |
Text
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g'o, UfJITED STATES f.'U ; '_ :
I.EGULATORY COMMISSION
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AUG 171979 The Honorable Robert S. Walker United States House of Representatives Washington, D. C.
20515
Dear Congressman Walker:
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, appearances before the President's Commission and v realignment of our own resources and priorities to give immediate atten-tion to the problems resulting from the accident.
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission directed its staff to On May 25, 1979, prepare an Environmental Assessment of proposals to decontaminate and dispose of radioactively contaminated waste water from the Three Mile Island Unit 2 facility (TMI).
deal with the proposed decontamination of the intermediate level waste The Assessment will include water using the EPICOR-II system at TMI.
discussions of potential risks to the public health and safety, including occupational exposures and the risk of accidental releases, and a discus-The licensee has been sion of alternatives to the EPICOR-II system.
directed by the Commission not to operate the EPICOR-II system, pending completion of this portion of the Assessment and opportunity for public However, testing of the EPICOR-II system without using con-comment.
taminated waste may proceed.
Furthermore, except for discharge of waste water decontaminated by the existing EPICOR-I system 1/and discharge of industrial waste water 2/ as 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 This portion will include a discussion of alternatives to discharges.
discharge into the Susquehanna River.
1/ Primarily pre-accident waste water from Unit I which has been partially contaminated by water from Unit 2, with an activity level of less than 1 microcurje per ml prior to treatment and with an activity level microcuries per ml in the discharge canal after treatment.
mately 10-2/ Waste water slightly contaminated (approximately 10-7 microcuries per m')
The dis-due to leakage from secondary plant service support systems.
charge of this industrial waste water is necessary to maintain TMI Unit 2 in a safe condition.
105l 351 79092809ep
The Honorable Robert S. Walker The decontamiration and disposal of high-level waste. ater will be the subject of a subsequent Assessment.
When completed, a copy of each Asssessment prepared on this metter will be made available to the public.
Of'pr.ne consideration in the matter of TMI liquid waste processing, as in all matters for which we have responsibility, is 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.
Sincerely, Ull2ned) Lee V. 0033I $-
Lee V. Gossick Executive Director for Operations 1051 352
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