ML19260A448
| ML19260A448 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 10/29/1979 |
| From: | Berryhill F COALITION FOR NUCLEAR POWER PLANT POSTPONEMENT |
| To: | NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19260A446 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7911210145 | |
| Download: ML19260A448 (2) | |
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r Coaldion. for Du. dear Power PLut Postpement 2610 Grendon Dr., Wilmington, DE 19808 Telephone (302) 994-1342 October 29th, 1979 U.S.Nutlear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C.203 "
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_g Gentlemen:
o*Ju In a letter dated December 5th,1978 to Dr. James R.Schlesinger, Dr. Joseph M.denarie wrices as follows:
Melationship Setween Nuclear Waste Disposal and Beactor Licensing.
The Commission nas addressed this isuue in two instances:
( 1) in denying a Natural Resources Defense Council pecition, PnM 50-10, wnien requested a safety determination on waste disposal before issuance of new reactor licenses; and (2) in revising taole S-J of 10 CFR Part 51. Tne Commission's decision that NRC is not legally required to impose a moratorium on nuclear power plant licensing pending a determination that permanent disposal of high level waste can be sarely accomp-lished was upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in NRDG vs. NRC 382 F( 2d Cir.1978). The Court found that Congress did not intend to link concinued reactor licensing to a difinitive finding that spent fuel and other high level wastes could be safely alsposed of for tne long cerm. Thus, a relationship between waste disposal and reactor licensing is not legally imposed by cne Atomic Energy Act.
However, in denying the NRDC petition for rulemaxing in PRM->U-18, the Commission said
- Tne Commission would not continue to license reactors if it did not have reasonable confidence tnat the wastes can and will in due course be discosed of safely. Thus, tne Commission has itself linked continued reactor licensin and waste disrosal. The Commission is committed to reassessine its basis for conridence as new data are de-velooed and trocress is made in the Federal trogram. Ine Commission will keep Congress and the Presicent informea or any cnanges tnat significantly effect its confidence that wastes can be disposed of safely.
T.e IRu has produced notning that would suggest a solution to the waste problem. If t,nis Commission nas data not available to the public to invoke confidence I woulc rind ic highly irregular and would like to know about it.
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If no such hiacen data is ava11aule wny cnen must intervenors now go througn the lenzhty, tedious and costly process in Docket 50-289, ae-start of TM1 1 ? Wny must the owners of Salem so through tne lenghty, tedious and cost 1/ process of compliance with NURSG-0578 " Lessons learned" to ready the Salem-2 reactor for start-up since tue Ccamission "would not continue to license reactors if it did not nave reasonaole confidence that the waste can and will in due course be disposed of safely" ?
it is cime that the Commission take a good look at the cost benefit Ic is still my contention that until NUREG-0511 disposal of Mill T..ilings is resolved each reactor in the future is licensed in violation of NEPA. No cost benefit analysis includes NURG-0511.
Overcizht Hearinzs before the Succommittee on Energy and the En-vironment of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs on January 25 and 26, 1979 reveal the following exchange cetween nep. James Weaver (D-Oregon) and Dr. John Deutsen, DuS:
Mr. Weaver: Would you estimate for us the amount of =cney you expect che Federal Government to pay for waste dis-posal? It has doubled in the last year from rougnly 4450 to $900 million. How much in the next 10 years are we going to spend on waste discosal, or the next 5?
Dr. Deutsen: Many,many billions of dollars.
Mr. Weaver: Billions of Dollars?
Dr. Deutsch: Many, many billions of dollars.
Mr. Weaver: Tens of billions?
Dr. Deutsch: Yes, sir.
Mr. Weaver: Tens of billions or dollars on this issue ?
Dr. Deutsch: Yes, sir.
It is cime tnat this conmission stop dragging american citizens through the grueling processes of intervention, withcut funding and mostly witnout success and it is time that this Commission stop the licensing or any more nuclear power plants.
S in,cerely
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Frieda 3erryhill Chairman ec: Chairman Hendrie Cormissioner Bradford Ahearne G111 sky Kennedy f3b/
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AaLB Decket 50-289 ae-start or TMI 1
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