ML19256F429
| ML19256F429 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 11/30/1979 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Marmelstein A AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7912190132 | |
| Download: ML19256F429 (2) | |
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NOV 3 01979 Miss Adina Marmelstein c/o Ms. Lechner, English Department The High School of flusic & Art 135 Street a Convent Avenue New York, York 10013
Dear Miss Marmeistein:
I am pleased to respond to your letter of November 1,1979 in which you requested infonnation on nuclear energy for your high school research paper.
You requested information on the health hazards of people who work directly with nuclear power as well as those who live close to the plant. You also requested information on nuclear waste hazards, plans for disposal, and infonnation on the spread of plutonium to some degree to everyone in the world.
In these areas it is difficult for me to provide succinct answers or even to suggest specific references for several reasons.
First, the best general references and overall surveys are to be found in numerous books and magazine articles which have been published in recent years.
I believe your school or public library are the best sources for these references.
In this regard, our reference librarian highly recommends consulting the " Readers Guide to Periodical Literature" since it surveys a number of periodicals of general scientific interest.
Second, the NRC documents that have appeared in this area have tended to be highly specialized and technical articles that are relatively inscrutable to the layman, and would not, in my opinion, prove helpful to you.
- Finally, any partial selection of materials in such controversial areas might be presumed to show some degree of bias, either pro-or anti-nuclear.
As you are probably aware, the NRC, in its role as regulator of nuclear power, must maintain a strict neutrality in this regard.
It is principally for this last reasons that the NRC does not issue the type of general purpose educational literature, pamphlets or booklets that are usually available from many other government agencies.
I am enclosing, however, a copy of the NRC's Annual Report for the year 1978. This report, which is required to be submitted to the President and the Congress each year, does contain a large amount of information on the activities and programs engaged in by NRC.
I believe it will also be helpful for your research paper.
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Miss A. Marmelstein NOV 3 01979 Reference material in the areas of your interest may be available from other Federal agencies.
I suggest you contact the following:
U.S.
Department of Energy, Public Affairs - Publication Office, Washington, D.
C., 20545 and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Radiation Program, Environmental Analysis Division, 401 M Street, S.
W., Washington, D.
C., 20460.
In regard to your question on weather effects, our metcorologists indicate that rain can be expected about every 3 to 7 days at most locations in the United States. Localized rainfall might be expected following a weapons detonation if a large amount of particulate or dust debris were injected into the atmosphere.
However, a nuclear accident releasing primarily gases or very finely dispersed particulates would not be expected to precipitate rain.
It did rain within about a day after the Three Mile Island accident; however, this accident released almost exclusively gaseous activity.
Consequently, we do not believe the accident was the cause of the rain.
I am pleased to learn of your interest in nuclear energy.
I hope this letter will be of some help.
Sin
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[7/,8Aw Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosure:
1.
NRC's 1978 Annual Report 1620675
.