ML19246C559
| ML19246C559 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 06/05/1979 |
| From: | Gossick L NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Metzenbaum H SENATE |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7907260520 | |
| Download: ML19246C559 (2) | |
Text
.
JUA a 1979 The lionorable lloward ti. Metzenbaum United States Senate Washington, D.C.
20510
Dear Senator lietzenbaum:
We'are pleased to reply to the concerns of your constituent, Dr. Thomas Franz, noted in his letter to you of April 1,1979.
He was flying over the Three itile Island power plant in a connercial aircraft on the d.ay of the recent accident and is fearful that proper steps are not being taken to protect the health and safety of airline passengers who fly over that site. We must apologize for the lateness of this reply; our initial efforts, of course, were with t'ae handling of all immediate problems relate'd to the safe shutdown r f the plant.
Thens are two mair areas of concern regarding potential. radiation exposure to people in aircraft which may have flown close to Three Itile Island (if1I) during the accident. These are:
- 1) the reactor building acts as a source of radiation emitted in all directions much as a light bulb emits light; and 2) there may be a release of radioactivity to the atmosphere, where it can be dispersed both vertically and horizontally.
An aircraft could fly through a cloud of such radioactivity and possibly become contaminated.
I As icgards the first item, a calculation based on tht 3, imm -
1 reading taken above the reactor building during the course e dont would result in a radiation exposure, to an airplane in 30 miles per hour) at 10,000 ft. altitude of about 0.2 millirem, background radiation to which everyone is exposed naturally varie:
nm place to place, and is approximately 100 millirems per year.
Pegarding the second item, the dispersal of radioactivity and possible subsequent aircraft contamination, meteorological conditions the day of the accident were such that maximum vertical dispersion of the release tha't actually took place was about 1500 ft. Thus, an aircraft flying at 10,000 ft, would be well above any detectable concentration (cloud) of radioactive material.
~
Regarding Federal Aviation Administration and/or Trans World Airlines control of airplanes or passengers, it should be noted that in the rcsponse to Tf11 we had significant contact with the FAA even though they were not fonnally ' notified. An FAA representative was at the 424 09,/
Operations Center on at least one occasion and was briefed by the NRC staff several tines. As a result of contacts made by the Department of Enerov aerial surveillance contractor on March 28. the FAA restricted a large area around Three flile Isl and in order
.o allow the h311 copters to
- "'M y nonitoring" mis 3 ions"at"any-t ime"without" interference.-
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In addition, on at least one occasion, the liarrisburg International Airport was closed to facilitate air transport operations related to Three !!ile Island.
I hope that the uoove infctmation is responsive to your needs.
Sincerely, Di tribution pq T. A. Rch" s
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Chairman Hendrie Conmissioner Gilinsky Conmissioner Kennedy Conmissioner Bradford Conmissioner Ahearne
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