ML19224D642
| ML19224D642 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 05/30/1979 |
| From: | Chilk S NRC OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY (SECY) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| FRN-42FR36326, RULE-PRM-50-23-7905 NUDOCS 7907130229 | |
| Download: ML19224D642 (5) | |
Text
'7.5 MLIC DOCU.'ENT E00W e.
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
/[ Docket No. PPS-50-23[/
CRITICAL MASS ENERGY PROJECT, ET AL Filing of Petition for Rule Making Notice is hereby given that Michael H. Bancroft, Esq., has filed with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission netition for rule making, dated May 9,1979,
] ject, the Public Interest Research on behalf of the Critical Mass Em..
Group, the Northern California Public Interest Research Group, the Iowa Student Public Interest Research Group, the Public Interest Research Group in Michigan, the M;nnesota Public Interest Research Group, the Missouri Public Interest Renarch Group, the North Carolina Public Interest Research Group, the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group, the Vemor.: Public 2nterest Research Group, Citizens for a Better Environment, the Environmental Coatiition p
on Nucle;r Power, Local 1010 of the United Steelworker-of America, the Miif-u America Coalition for Energy Alternatives, and Citizens Energy Forum.
The petition states that "...the petitioners hereby renew and supplement a petition on evacuation plan submitted to the NRC by PIRG and 30 other citizen groups on August 6, 1975. The NRC denied the petition on July 7,1977. 42 Fed Reg. 36326 (July 14,1977)."
The petitioners propose amenaments to NRC regulations which are intended to improve the licensee and governmental ability to cope with radiological drangers following a nuclear accident. The anendments croposed by the petitioners inclue the following provisions:
1.
Coordin..ted Offsite Emergency Resconse Plan All 10 CFF Part 50 licensees and license applicants shall develop, in coordir tion with state and local authorities and the NRC, a c!etailed plan of oifsite responses to a nuclear accident.
The plan shall include provisions for evacuating the public in time. of radiological emrgencies and to take other protective acticn measur_s to protect the publi c f!
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, within 50 miles of the licensed facility.
The planned offsite protective actions, including evacuation, shall explicitly take account of the anticipated range of actual or imminent radiation releases and durational, weather, seasonal, and traffic conditions.
Public expenses in fomulating the emergency response plan shall be reimbursed by the licensee or license applicant.
2.
Tests of the Plan Before licensing a nuclear power plant, both at the construction and
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operating stages, a test of the emergency response plan shall be conducted in cooperation with Federal, state and local authorities.
In addition to testing comnunications, health protection, treatment of injuries, and radiation n.cnitoring, the test shall include an evacuation drill in which a representative sector of angular width 7*, containing a diverse and.significant population, is evacuated to a distance of at least 30 miles.
For crerating plants, such tests shall be conducted c
at least once a year, connencing umn the adoption of this regulation.
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All costs of conducting both offsi,. and onsite tests shall be borne i._
L.i by thelicensee or license applicant.
3.
Offsite Radioloaical Monitoring The operator of a nuclear power plant shall maintain a system of off-site radiation detectors to determine the radiation exposure of the public from plant emissions. The system shall be designed, taking
._m account of population distributions and seasonal weather conditions, so that cumulative doses to the public from accidental releases can be established with an error of less than 30% for the most exposed section of the public within 10 miles of the plant and less thar 50% for those within 50 miles of the plant. The operator shall assume the costs for this monitoring system and shall operate it, unless it chooses to delegat operation to a suitably accurate governmental monitoring system.
4.
Pu lic Notice and Hearings Each 10 :FR Part 50 licensee shall distribute to every residence, business, school and other institution within 50 miles of the facility' (with sufficient copies for each person or hcusehold unit) infomation on the physical character and development of a large radioactive release, the health dangers of radiation exposure, and an outline of the emergency response plans which will be put into effect in different hazardos conditions.
The public notice shall contain detailed information on how people can best protect their health, how they can receive bulletins during a radiological emergency, and what steps and routes they shculd take if an evacuation is ordered.
This notice shall be distributed before the grant of a construction permit or operating license, and thereafter annually in the case of an operating reactor.
Prior to distribution of each notice specified above, there shall bo public hearings, held in the vicinity of the facility, on the e erg!ncy respcnse plan.
In addition to the distributed information, the licensee shall make available to any member of the public all documents concerning the emergency response plan.
444 195
. 5.
Consideration of Emergency Protecticn in Licensing and Siting Determination tnat there will be effective emerger:cy protection of the public in the event of large radiaticn releases shall be a prerequisite to URC approval of a proposed nuclear reactor site.
A finding of effective protection of the public within 50 miles of the proposed site shall take into account population density (resident, occupational, and transient), transportation patterns and areas of congestion, the effectiveness of the emergency plan demonstrated by the test, the vulnerability to long-tem radioactive ingestion through food and water, and other relevant f actors.
No construction permit shall be issued until the coordinated offsite emergency response plan has been fomulated, tested, and demonstrated to be effective. No construction pemit or operating license shall be issued in a state in which the state's radiological emergency response
..T capability has not been certified effective by the NRC, based on lines of authority and communication, the availability of trained personnel and equipment, and de+ ailed plans for appropriate contingencies, and also based on verification of effectiveness by tests and drills.
6.
Emercency Response Plans for Existing Reactors and Interim NRC Safety Action Operators of existing plants shall immediately undertake planning for
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offsite emergency action to protect the public, in cooperation with appropriate government officials. The plan shall be fomulated and tested (including an evacuation drill) within six months of the promulga-tion of this regulation.
The NRC will immediately undertake an analysis of the operating nuclear reactors to detemine which present the greatest risk to the public from accidental release of radioactivity.
To detemine the order of priority for interim safety (actions, this analysis shall include the safety record of the plant including the frequency of Tolations of NRC regulations, radiation exposure of workers, releases Jf radiation to the environment, the NRC's perception of the technical proficiency of the licensee's staff, and any design, construction, operational or generic deficiencies known to the NRC), adequacy of existing emergency plans, population dcnsity and other factors affecting the feasibility of evacuation, and the existence and capability of state an.d local radio-logical emergency plans and personnel.
Having determined +he plants in need of highest oriority attention, the NRC will take prompt action to increase the safety of the plants and imorove the efficacy of the emergency plans.
In addition to assisting the licentee in making these improvements, the NRC cill consider interim steps to protect the public, including prcmpt testing of existing emergency plans and derating or closing down the plant until irprovements are made.
444 196
As a basis for the petition the petitioners state that:
The Three Mile Island accident has shown that e'acuation is not icing v
on the cake, but an essential safeguard o# public health and safety in the af termath of a nuclear accident.
The discussions of the f4RC Ccmmissioners and staff en March 30, :;79 cencerning evacuation of the area around Three Mile Island reveals a lack of knowledge about the feasibility of evacuation, as Pennsylvania officials sought to devise evacuation plans with little help or coordination from the NRC.
Decisions in the aftermath of a large accidental radiation release are dependent on monitoring the radiation rates and cumulative doses away from the source. The sporadic montioring in the '.hree days after the Three Mile Island accident shows that reliance on utilities' present systems of routine offsite environmental monitoring will not do in an emergency. Monitoring to provide adequate information for
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emergency decision making must be either in place at all times a plant is operating or ready for immediate deployment in the event of an accident.
If the latter method is adopted, such deployment must be tested as part of the plant's emergency response plan.
A copy of the petition for rule making is available f:or public inspection at the Commission's Public Document Room, 1717 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.
A copy of the petition may be obtained by writing to thJ Division of Rules and Records, Office of Administration, U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. 20555.
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All persons who desire to submit written comments or suggestions concerning tha petition for rule making should send their comments to the
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Secretary of the Commission, Washingtoi., D.C. 20555, Attention:
Docketing and Service Branch, by August 6,1979.
444 197
. /OR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Gerald L. Hutton, Division of Rules and Records, Office of Administration, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC 20555, telephone 301-492-7086.
Dated at Washington, D. C.
this 30th ay of May 1979.
d For the Nuclear Regulatory Commission 13_*
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SanrJel J. Chilk Secretary of trie Commission 444 198
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