ML19256F394
| ML19256F394 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Zimmer |
| Issue date: | 11/26/1979 |
| From: | Varga S Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Erbe E AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7912190076 | |
| Download: ML19256F394 (3) | |
Text
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c, UNITED STATES C i NUCLEAR REGULATORY CC'.U.1lSSICA s
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NOV 2 6 :373 Mr. Eugene K. Erbe, President Zimmer Area Citizens (ZAC)
Post Office Box 1 Moscow, Ohio 45153
Dear Mr. Erbe:
Let me first express my regrets for the delay in respon ing to your April 25, 1979 letter to President Carter in which ycu ;rged :he :eferral of an operating license for the Zimer Nuclear Power Staticn.ntil ce-iin a:ters were resolved.
As you can imagine, a great many letters fr r the ;Ei have come into the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in the mcaths fol'c.iing the Three Mile Island accident, all of which we are answerir; as #as: as resources permit.
Time was also needed to assess the backgrounc and i glications of the accident by the NRC and others so that more direct answers are now available to questions from the public.
We agree with your concern about the licensing of the Zimer. Nuclear Power, Station until a thorough investigation of the accicent at Three Mile Island (TMI) has been completed and released to the public.
This concern affects all nuclear power plants under licensing review.
On 'Jctober 4,1979 the Commission approved a Policy Statement on the Three File Island, Unit 2 accident which states that no new licenses fcr nuclear Oower reactors will be authorized by Atomic Safety and Licensing Boards c-issued by the NRC Staff, except after further order of the Ccrission itself.
We are presently preparing a plan which is considering all of the recommen-dations that have been made or are being made from within the NRC and the President's Comission on the accident at Three Mile Island.
The Commission is considering no licensing actions until this plan is completed. The plan will describe requirements needed for changes in plant design, management and procedures, including operator training anc emergency preparedness.
Many of the expected requirements have alreacy been sen to the utilities based on NRC staff recommendations to date.
Although the President's Comission concluded in its report that the actual radioactive release at the TMI site following the accident will have a negligible effect on the physical health o' ia.civicuals living near the site, we believe that the changes that will be req ired wi '
ake it very unlikely that accidents C this type will happen at :: er n ::: -
15nts inc'; ding the Zi mer plant.
1625 130 nw ho7G
9 i.r. Zugene Er:e tiOV 2 : F7:
Awever, in :ne case of the Zircer plant, several safe:;
ss es..ere i r contentions secarate frcn the concerns related to :te '
s;;ide-t.
Reviews and hearings are continuing in these non ~' : re'i.e: rat:ers.
.. e eyec that the pu;lic hearings on Zimr.er will likeb a'st inclu e, at sc e future date, safety issues related to TMI implications.
You also urged complete disclosure on the Reed Report ard the current hearings now being held on the 1954 Nevada open air nuc' ear testings.
Regarding the latter, both House and Senate Congressional succor.mittee meetings have been held on this natter.
You shoulc contact the Department of Energy regarding the source and availability of transcripts of these hearings.
Regarding the Reed Peport, that report was an in-house lereral Electric (3E)
Company report prepared under the direction of Dr. Char'es Feed in 1975 c-a critique of GE's products and practices regarding GE's Eciling Water Nuclear Steam Supply System.
The NRC is in possession :f tt.is report under a Protective Order issued by the Atomic Safety and Lice's'ng Eoard in the Black Fox hearing proceedings (Docket Nos. STN 50-556, STN 50-557). GE has provided a letter and affidavit in support of its c aim that the report contains confidential, business (proprietary) informati:n. While the NRC is reviewing the proprietary claim, the report is being w'thheld fron public disclosure pursuant to current laws and regulati:ns.
Nevetheless, menbers of the NRC staff who have had access to the Ree: Ee; ort, have reported that the report has not identified any matters that have not already been considered in our safety evaluations.
I hope this information aadresses your concerns regardi g tre Zinne-Station.
S cerely,[ ' '
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,eeven x. Va ga, Acting Assistant Director for Lig'qt Water Reactors Division of Projec5 Panagement P00RORSIGL 1625 131
ZIMMEP AREA C: IZE' 5 'ZAC)
Post Cffice 5:,. '
Moscow, Chic 25153 April 25,197.;
President Jimmy Carter The White House Washington, D. C.
Dear President Carter:
As concerned residents of the surrounding 10-mile area of Moscow, Ohio, we urgently petition you as our representative, to delay the licensing of the Zimmer Nuclear Power Station until a th rcugn investigation of the accident at Three Mile Island Nuclear Power Statior. has been com-pleted and released to the public.
Even in li;nt cf :M initial findings of the Three Mile accident, Cincinnati Gas & Electric Comoany refuses to delay the licensing hearing until some intelligent ar.d conclusive data is available.
We cannot impress upon you enough the seriousness with which we make this plea.
Once nuclear fuel is installed at Zimmer there will be no remedy for subsequent data which may be found that is detrimental to our health and environment. This and future generatior.s will be the perpetual guardians of radioactive waste which the NRC admits they have found no safe solution for storing.
O Further, we urge you to be honest and responsible in your insistence that the authorities make a complete and candid disclosure en such studies as
'k the Reed Report and the current hearings which are ncw being held on the
/
/ 19E4 Nevada open air nuclear testings.
We fear that tr.ose who ignore
( history are doomed to repeat it.
We would like to know what your thinking is on this very urgent matter and would appreciate receiving a statement frc, you as to your plans for action.
Sincerely,
,e'
-c,.r...<...:
ZIMMER AREA CITIZENS (ZAC)
(513) 553-3730
?00RBRGINhl 1625 132