ML19220A823
| ML19220A823 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 04/10/1979 |
| From: | Walker R HOUSE OF REP. |
| To: | Kammerer C NRC OFFICE OF CONGRESSIONAL AFFAIRS (OCA) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7904250007 | |
| Download: ML19220A823 (3) | |
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.b Ni t r i-4 Mr. Carlton Kamerer, Director I. N -
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Nuclear Regulatory Caraission L3 Washington, D.C.
20555 Sir:
The attached cor=unication is sent for your consideration.
Please investigste the statements contained therein and forward me the necessary infornation for re-ply, returning the enclosed corre-cpondence with you" answer.
Ycurs truly, b?.
J Robert S. Walker,M. C.
16th District-PA T
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April 3, 1979 Rep. Robert S. Walker Room 1028 APR 0 61919 Longworth Eu11 ding Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Congressman Walker,
After the past week, with the problems at 3 Mile Island, it is becoming very clear to me that the citisens of this area are being kept in the dark as to just exactly what we are supposed to be doing about coping with a nuclaar accident.
The information coming out of the plant is not always too coherent, to say the least.
The first few days, no two people could agree on anything and now that the NRC has taken over the press releases, it really isn't becoming much clearer jus t what is going to be done and, more importantly, WHEN!
I called the city of Lancaster's water department today to get some information on water quality and just what will be done if any radiation above normal traces is found in the Susquehanna River water.
Well, the water department isn 't too happy with the information they receive, either (amounts of radiation in the water are not harmful-the water department doesn't even know exa;tly what, or how much of what, is in the water other than a trace amount of Xenon they managed to detect coming into che filter plant for a few days that, they say, was gone after the water was filtered.)
What no one at any point has bothered to discuss (even when asked by reporters) is how long there will be a danger of radiation leaking into the Susquehanna River.
There have been comments that it may be months or even years before the radiation on 3 Mile Island is c'.eaned u.p.
Evidently that means months, and possibly years, thh; we will have to worry about the contents of our drinking water.
That is absolutely preposterous!!
Perhaps because Lancaster is not close enough to tha Island to warrant instant evacuation in case of atmospheric radiation excesses, no one up there is really thinking of the fact that we people down here are drinking water that we hope will remain potable.
If the Susquehanna becomes a radioactive sewer, we are going to be in a bad way when it comes to sufficient water.
The Conestoga pumping station is old; the supply of water that it can produce is evidently sufficient only for residential usage.
What gcod is that going to be on a lcng-term basia?
If the industries can't get water, they'll close down--where does that leave us residents, who are no doubt employed by the very@ industries that also need water.
70' U Eeyond water---today they announced traces of radioactive iodine in milk---didn' t tell us WHAT milk, or whose, so we naturally all hope the brand we just bought doesn't have any iodine in it. HA!
gage 2 Civil defense won't give out ' escape routes" because they can enhnge from day to day.
That makes sense, IF they manage to tell us which ones to use if and when the time comes!
And then comes the giant insult of all time to the people of Central Pennsylvania---The President of the United States wants to speed up the licensing procedure for nuclear power plants!
Good grief!
For 10 years, there have been rumors that the 3 Mile Island plac was a hurry-up job, poorly designed and poorly operated.
There have been minor leaks before this--
now much radiation we have already absorbed is anyone's guess--
and can you believe that President Carter, after a wild accident like this one, could even SUGOEST speeding up anything to do with nuclear plants.
It may be a long, long time before this mess is cleaned up.
I certainly would not wish anything like it on any one else.
Until this is thoroughly investigated, I don't think one more plant (even if it is 99 is completed) should be allowed to open.
And the ones that are operating had better be constantly monitored and checked to see that they are absolutely safe, or else shut down.
This accident could very well mess up a large area of Pennsylvania for many years, even if no more radiation ever leaks out of that plant.
The danger that it could leak will always be in peoples' minds as long as there is any fissionable materid an that island.
As far as the 3 Mile Island plant is concerned, I imagine most of the residents of the 4 counties that are affected will hope that they close up the plant, move everything out, and never come back here!
We don't even get any electricity from that plant yet we are the ones that a're getting all the prsblems.
I was glad to see that you shar2d my concern about the problem of the public not getting the truth about this matter as it was happening.
I really wonder if anything more gees wrong if we will get the information in time.
It would seem so much easier for everyone if they would decide when they are going to do something that might be dangerous.
Announce a few days befora so that everyone could leave the area.
Once everyone
's out of danger, ThEN if an accident occurred, at least the people would be safe.
That really is the only important thing.
Even if the area by some horror would be unihabitable for month-or years because of this, if no one dies at least we woun have done all we could to pievent useless deaths or cases of cance:r or whatever.
But that probably isn't the way the people in charge of this fiasco think, s0........
Sincerel' 1.LJ)_
L7 M lLIL Pennebaker
)(.aren L.
Mrs. Kenneth Pennebaker) 430 N. Mary St.
Lancaster, Pa. 17o03
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