ML19262C565
| ML19262C565 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Skagit |
| Issue date: | 02/04/1980 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Catherine Thompson AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8002140494 | |
| Download: ML19262C565 (5) | |
Text
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s,, *m Ms. Carmelia A. Thompson 1110 1/2 Markwood Road Burlington, Washington 98233
Dear Ms. Thompson:
Your letter of October 17, 1979 to President Carter has been referred to the Nuclear Regultory Comission for additional comments. By letter dated January 7,1980, you received coments from the Department of Energy regarding the development of energy technology.
Therefore, the following comnents deal with the status of licensing of the proposed Skagit Nuclear Power Sta+. ion only.
Since the Nuclear Regulatory Commission started its licensing review back in 1975, at which time Puget Sound Power and Light filed its applications for construction permits, a number of considerations have surfaced which resulted in delays in the completion of that review.
Notably among these was, the difficulty of arriving at the design basis for earthquakes, in view of the complex geology and seismology of the Northwest.
It is not likely that the design basis carthquake issue can be settled, and the staf f's safety evaluation presented 3s testimony in the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board public hearing, prior to the end of 1980.
Although addi-tional licensing requirements will be imposed in the future on the Skagit station, along with other nuclear facilities, as a result of recommendations made following the Three Mile Island ac(' dent, it would appear that the time needed to resolve the earthquake issue > 'll control the licensing schedule.
It is not possible or prudent at this time to forecast whether or not the Puget Sound Power and Light Company will still be able to view the proposed Skagit site as a viable, economic site until all final requirements and criteria have been firmly established. The Utility, however, has announced, publicly, a three to four year delay in the start of construction at the proposed site.
As you suggest in your letter, there may be legal questions within the State of Washington and Skagit County which will need to be settled before the issue of public acceptance of the Skagit County cite is resolved. These matters of course do not fall within the jurisdiction of the Nuclear Regulatory Comission.
I hope this information is useful to you and addresses your concern.
Sincerely, Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation N140 f
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Department of Energy Washington, D.C. 20545 J.m 7 W
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0 Ms. Carmelia A. Thompson 1110 1/2 Markwood Road 2
I Burlington, WA 98233
Dear Ms. Thompson:
I Your letter to President Carter expressing concerns about nuclear power has been referred to my office for consideration.
Many factors must be evaluated in the decision to wport the develop-ment of any energy technology.
The economic, environmental, and social costs and benefits, as well as the safety of any option, must be considered.
The Federal Governrent is evaluating these factors as they relate to the energy options available in the United States.
As you may know, shortly after assuming office, President Carter pre-7/
sented his plan for the National Energy Policy.
This policy statement was amplified and supplemented by the National Energy Act of 1978 and 7
the recently issued National Energy Plan II.
In these statements the President stressed that energy conservation is the cheapest, most practical way to meet our near-term needs.
Additionally, strong incentives exist to convert from using oil to using coal, and to develop new energy technologies such as solar But conservation and increased use of coal and solar power energy.
y are not likely to be adequate to meet all of our future energy require-4.
Hence, the President has recognized that we must continue to p
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use nuclear energy from conventional nuclear plants with increased attention to nuclear safety and nuclear waste management.
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To imple-ment the President's energy program, the Federal Government is con-ducting research on many different energy systems -- solar, wind, geothermal, nuclear fission and fusion, coal conversion, and other
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Your concerns regarding nuclear power are shared by many people Ci,.
in our country. Accordingly, the Department of Energy is working
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closely with other 'iovernment agencies such as the Nuclear Regulatory
.Q Commission and the invironmental Protection Agency to improve nuclear N.E plant safety and to ensure that acceptable means for disposing of
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While there are issues yet to be resolved regarding nuclear power, 7
just as there are for other energy tecnnologies, we in the Depart-7#..-
ment of Energy take very seriously our responsibility to act in fj the public interest and provide for safe and economic energy supplies both now and in the future.
Inasmuch as matters pertaining to the licensing, construction, and operation of commercial nuclear power plants are under the cogni-zance of the Nuclear Regt'atory Commission, we are forwarding your 7.y/
letter to them for additii ial coment by copy of this letter.
Sincerely, Ori~in'l P"""I W J. P. Thaeault John P. Thereault, Deputy Director Plans and Analysis Division Nuclear Reactor Programs g,
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October
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17, 1979
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b James E. Carter, Jr.
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President, United States of America t
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington D.C.
20500
Dear President Carter:
When I voted for you, I believed in you and your vision for A merica.
Although you've encountered many problems, I still believe in you and I still believe you can accomplish your gosla, but you need more time in which to do it.
I hope you get the chance to continue in
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office ani work toward those goals, h$
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'Ihe one area in wMk I's disappo. intel has to do with your views c:.
nuclear _ power _Ani t2 e_yart_i.t has to play in_ Ar. erica's future Mr.
Carter, I know it is a terribly complex problem, but, Sir
, I cannot believe God wants us to dot our agricultural lands with nuclear power
,s plants.
We here in Skagit County are having a nuclear power plant literally forced on us.
For five long years we have fought against it, struggling to get someone to hear us, someone in n position t help.
We have stated repeatedly, in meetings, letters, phone calls o
t etc., that we do not want the power plant here!
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But still the licensing process goes on.
Puget Power prepares to build.
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"What rights do we citizens have?"
And I ask myself, O'
None, anymore. We cannot even say what we want in our own valley, We finally convinced our County Commissioners to put it to a vote, an advisory vote, and now Puget P is sueing the County Coamissioners, to remove the question from th ower ballot.
Tne power company states it will not tolerate any more delays 7
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It will not tolerate more delays!.A power conglomerate tells us 4,,;,
,who live here, work here, and raise our children here, that our wishes do
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- i not matter!
It is economi.
cally more feasible for them to build their W
nuclear plant here than to build it across the state, in the desert Q.7
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no here is where they inteal to buili it.
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. Money ani power speak, and so, now, people do not count.
Is that your vision for America, Mr. Carter?
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It isn't mine.
And I didn't think it was yours when I voted for you and I$N
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Please, if there is anything you can do to help us, won't you do it?
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he Nuclear Regulatory Commission wi?.1 continue the licensing process
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be6 nning on October 25th,1979, in Seattle, Washington, h ey will
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1 consider 6eolo6y, seismology, development of evacuation plans, etc.,
but they will not consider that the people of Skagit County do not want this nuclear power plant in our valley. Ve are not interested in gambling that there will never be an accident. We do not care yr Ly -
about Puget Power's annual profits. We do care about our lives and Plt l '
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our mental and emotional well-being.
Mr. President, please help us.
Most sincerely,
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- g Carmelia A. % empson 7
(House-wife and mother of four) 1110}MarkwoodRoad Burlington, WA 98233 206-757-0307 e::.r.-
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