ML19210D601
| ML19210D601 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 11/08/1979 |
| From: | Hendrie J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Ribicoff A SENATE, GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19210D563 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7911270372 | |
| Download: ML19210D601 (2) | |
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..k UNITED OTATEs 4 '?d S MI E NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION hd!
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W ASH IN G TO N, 0.C. 205LS g w -. /
November 8,1979 OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN The Honorable Abraham A. Ribicoff, Chairman Committee on Governmental Affairs United States Senate Washington, D.C.
20510
Dear Mr. Chairman:
On March 30, 1979, the Comptroller General of the United States submitted a report entitled " Areas Around Nuclear Facilities Should Be Better Prepared for Radiological Emergencies". One of the recommendations for the NRC in that report was:
"The Chairman, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, should establish an emergency planning zone of about 10 miles around all nuclear power plants as recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency / Nuclear Regulatory Commission Task Force, and require licensees to modify their emergency plans accordingly."
In my response to you on June 26, 1979, I stated that the Commission would give careful consideration to the recommendations of the NRC/ EPA Task Force Report.
I now wish to inform you that the Commission has accepted and endorses the guidance contained in the task force report and we have published a Federal Register Notice announcing this endorsement (enclosure 1). He have directed the staff to begin to incorporate the guidance into existing documents and to incorporate it into a proposed new rule on emergency planning.
\\ Sincerely,
\\
s N LL %dA.ul, J\\ephM.Hendrie Chairman
Enclosure:
As stated, cc:
Senator Charles Percy p99 105 7 911270 3 M
Federal Rc#er / Vol. 44, No. 2c3 / Tuesday, Ocbbn 23, 1970 / Notica Gira NUREG-03%. EPA $20/1-73-cla dated apprapr! ate and pntd:nt for emer3ency g
December 1978. Sin $e copas of tna pLn. ting guidance ta take into report can be obtained by writing to the conMderation the principal Director Divisien cf Technical characteristics (such as nuclide.i information and Document Control, released and distances liitely to ba Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
involved) of a spectrum of des!gn basia Wa shington, D.C. W53. The ta sk force and core melt accidents. While tha oo V
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report was published for puslic Commi3sien recognizes that the comment in the Fcderal Register en guidance may hsva significant response 6e a
December 15,1978 and the comment impacts for many local junsdict:ana, at period was exterwied to May 15,1979 to ' bellevea that implementation of the allow additional comments resulticg guidance is nevetheless needed to from the accident at Three Mile Island.
improve emergency response plaardna A synopsis of the comments received and preparedness around nuclear power and the task force consideration of these reactors.
comments is available from the The Commission is direction its staff Assistant Director for Emergency to incorporate tha., planning basia Preparedness, Office of State Programs, guidance into exiating documents used U.S. Nuclear Resulatory Commission, in the evaluation of state an local Washington, D.C. 2M55.
emergency responae plans to the extent practicable.The NRC has recently Planning Bads publishad and Advance Notice of The major recommendation of the Proposed Rulemaking concerning report is that two Emergency Planning additional regulations on emergency Zones (EPZs) should be established plans,44 FR 41484. Tuesday, jaly 17 around light water nuclear power plants.
1979. Additional guidance will be The EPZ for airborne exposure has a provided following this rulemaking.This radius of about to miles; the EPZ for additional guidance can be expected to contaminated food has a radius of abotit consider how local conditions such as 50 miles. Predeterrnined protective demography, land use, and meteorology action plans are needed for the EPZs.
can influence the size an shape of the The exrtet size and shape of each EPZ EPZs and to address other issues, such will be decided by emergency planning as evacuation pianning.
officials after they consider the specific Specific implementation dates for full condit. ions at each site.These diatances implementation of the task force are considered large enough to provide a recommendations and any others that response base which would support are developed will be established as Planning Basis for Emergency activity outside the planning zone part of the ongoing ndemaking effort.
Responses to Nuclear Power Ret ctor should this ever be needed.
The Commission also expects the staff Accidents The report also provides planning to assist state and local governments in basis guidance in the form of a range of improving their emergency response AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory time values in which emergency capabilities at existing sites in the Comm.u n.
response officials should be prepared to immediate future.
ACT1om NRC Policy Statcment.
implement protective action.The report Dated at Washing D.C. this 18th day of mdicates that, depending on such October 1979 Purpose factors as the specific sequence of For the Nuclear Regulatory Comrnission.
This is a statement of poh_cy with events during on accident which results 6 * "'" '
regard to an Environmental Protection in the release of radioactivity to the h*N Agency (EPA) and Nuclear Regulatory atmoshpere and the prevailing Commission (NRC)lask force report on meteorological conditions, protective IN 7*' W 2*" "I em coce nwow guidance for use in state and local action may be required from perhaps radiological emergency response plans one-half hour to one day after the at nuclear r.ower plants.
intiation of the accident. Development and periodic testing of procedures for Dackgrouad rapid notification of emer ency g
The NF%eceived a request from the response officials is encourag=d, since Conf.ence of Radiation Control the time available for actida is strongly Ptogram Directors, an organization of affected by the time consumed in State officials, to "make a determination riotification.
of the most servere accident basis for The chemical and physical which radiological emergency response character!stics of those radionuclides plans should be developed by offsite which contribute most significantly to agencies." In response, an EPA and NRC human expoeure are presented.
task force was established which NRC Policy prepared a report entitled " Planning Basis for the Development of State and NRC concurs in and endorses for use Local Government Radiological the guidance contained in the task force Emersency Response Plans in Support of report. la endorsing this guidance, the 7,99 106 Light Water Nuclear Power Plants,"
Commission recognizes that it is
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