ML19256F363
| ML19256F363 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Diablo Canyon  |
| Issue date: | 10/05/1979 |
| From: | Chilk S NRC OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY (SECY) |
| To: | Gossick L NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML16340A713 | List: |
| References | |
| SECY-79-461, NUDOCS 7912190012 | |
| Download: ML19256F363 (1) | |
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NUCLEAR REGUL TORY COMMISSION
' Enclosure 3
. %~%K9 E WASHIN GT ON. D.C. 20555
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October S,1979 OFFICE OF THE SICR ETAR Y MEM0?ANDUM FOR:
Lee V. Gossick, Executive Director for Operations O FROM:
Samuel J. Chilk, Secret
SUBJECT:
SECY-79-461,- RECOMMENDA 0 45 0F THE NRC/E?A TASK FORCE ON EMERGENCY PLANNING (CO..AISSIONER ACTION ITEM)
This is to advise you that the Commission (with all Commissioners concurring) has aoproved the proposed policy statement regarding the emergency planning basis as revised per the attacned final draft, and authoriced its publica: Ton in the Federal Register.
The Commission has also noted the following:
-A press release will be prepared by the Office of Public Affairs.
-Public co=ents cr, the final manner of implementation of planning basis guicance will be taken into account in tne forthcoming ruie-making on emergency planning.
It is re:;uested that the staff forward a Federal Register Notice, wnich contains the attached statement, 5 final form for the Secretary's signature for cub'ication in the Feder.1 Recister.
(SECY Suspense: 0: ober 19,1979)
The Efices of State Programs and Nuclear Reactor Regulation were infomed o
-his action by ' telephone on October 5,1979.
r u tichment:
As ::ated cc:
Chai:-.an Hendrie Cecissioner Gilinsky Comissioner Kennedy C:missioner Bradford Comissioner Ahearne C =issien Staff Offices Oirsc:or, Nuclear Reactor Regulation Director, State P ograms CONTACT-E'2:Gregor (SECY) 4-1410 1625 023 7 91219 0 O [ch
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMM.ISSION
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S. n. :...u..n.l i im PLANNING BASIS FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSES TO NUCLEJAR POWER REACTOR ACCIDENTS i
Purcose This is a state =ent of policy with regard to an Environ = ental Protection Agency (EPA) and Nuclear Regulatory Co==isEsion (NRC) task force report on guidance for use in state and local radio-lo,-ical e=ercencv resconse clans at nucle a r o. owe r c. la:nts.
Eackcround The NRC received a recuest frc= the Conference of Radi ation e-.a.
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3 Oc "=ake a.-de ermination cf the = cst severe acciden
= asis for v.. i ch radiological e=ergency response plans should be: developed by offsite agencies."
In response, an EPA and NRC tassk force was established which prepared a report entitled "Pl a...ni ng B as is
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.. c.'.'. o _.-,. _ _= _7 E=ergencv. Resc.ense Plans i n S uc. c. o r t of Lich: Water Nuclear Power Plants,"_NUREG-0396, EPA 5 20/1-7 5-016, dated December: 1975.
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ca Direc:cr, Division of Technical Inf o rma :~ ion a nd Do cu=sent Centrcl, Nuclear Regulatory Co==ission, Washington, D.C. 20555..
The task force report was published for public cc==ent ir. the Pederal Register en Dece=ber 15, 1975 and the cen=ent period was extended te May 15, 1979 to allow additional ec==ents resultinig f rc= the acciden at Three Mile Island.
A cynepsis of the coca=ents received and the task force consideration of these ce r== e nt s is available from the Assistant Director f or Energy P>reparedness, Of fice of State Progra=s, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Co=:=ission, Washington, D.C.
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1625 024 P.lann:nc s e.t s The =ad er reco==endation of the report is that two Ece.e r c. e ncv.
s Planning Zones (EPZ's) should be established around l'.ight water nuclear power plar.ts.
The EPZ for airborne exposure has a radius of about 10 =iles; the EP2 f o r conta=inaated food has a radius of about 50 miles.
Predetermined protec.ive action plans are needed for the EPZ's.
The exact size and 1)()
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shape of each EPZ will be decided by emergency planning officials after they consider tne specific conditions at each site.
These distances are censidered large enough to provide a resconse base which would support activity outside the planning zone should this ever be neeced.
The report also provides planning basis guidance in the fom of a range of time values in which emergency response officials should be prepared tt imple ent protective action.
The report indicates that, depending on such factors as the specific sequence of events during an accident wnich results in the release of radioactivity to the atmosphere and the prevailing meteorological conditions, protective action may be recuired from perhaps one-half hour to one day after the initiation of the accident.
Cevelopment and periodic testing of procedures for rapid notification of emergency resconse officials is encouraged, since the time available for action is strongly affected by the time consumed in notification.
The chemical and physical characteristics of those radionuclices whicn contribute most significantly to human exposure are presented.
NRC Policv NRC concurs in and endorses for use the guidance contained in the task force recort.
In endorsing this guidance, the Commission recc;nices that it is accrocriate and prudent for emergency clanning guicance to take into consideration the principal characteristics (such as nuclices released and distances likely to be involved) of a spectrum of ce+n basis anc core melt accidents. While the Commission recocnizes t!
the guidance may have significant response impacts for many iocal jurisdictions, it believes that implementation of the guidance is nevertheless needed to improve emergency resNnse planning and preparedness around nuclear power reactors.
The Co mission is directing its staff to incorocrate the planning basis guicance into existing documents used in :ne evaluation of state and local emergency resconse plans to the extent practicable.
The NRC has recently ouclished an Acvance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking concerning additional regulations on emergency plans.
(Add Federal Register reference.)
Adcitional guidance will be provided following this rulemaking. This additional guidance can be expected to consider how local conditicns such as cemography, land use, and meteorology can influence the size and shape of the EPZ's and to ad&an other issues, such as evacuation planning.
Specific implementation cates for full implementaticn of the task force recomendations and any others that are develcped will be establisned as part of the ongoing rulemaking effort.
The Ccmission also expects the staff to assist state and local governments in improving tneir emergency response capabilities at existing sites in the immeciate future.
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