ML19275B085

Requests Response to Encl Jl Donahue 750413 Followup to 750411 Conversation Between Donahue & R Mack of Senator Schweikers Ofc.Newspaper Clippings Encl

ML19275B085
Person / Time
Site:	Crane
Issue date:	04/28/1975
From:	Schweiker R SENATE
To:	NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
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ML19275B084	List: ML19275B083 ML19275B085
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NUDOCS 7911080693
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{{#Wiki_filter:, + 3(ni[CD MlCtkCC, MCuctkC 'j% Respectfully referred to: O Because of the desire of this office to be responsive to all inquiries and co==unications, your consideration of the attached is requested. Your findings and vir.ws, in duplicate form, along with retern of the enclosure, will be appreciated by ? ""fD/75;'50 _,g 'T ,9 Q p-t ~ U.S.S. Form #2 ^ u __ v W911 os o Sp3

-m ,(. f -it r Senator Richard Schweiker % Russ Mack U.S. Capitol Bldg. /t Washington, D.C. 20510 April 13,1975

Dear Senator:

This is a follow up of our conversation of April 11, 1975, in regard to the Nuclear Power Station at Three Mlle Island. On April 5, 1975 i noticed that the Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant had ceased operating. I waited three days expecting some explanation in our local paper as to the nature of the shut down. When no word was forthecming, I phoned the York Dai ly Record. It is now April 9. The newspaper informed me a news confer-ence had been called within the hour. i'The Power Company related two reasons for a four day shut down.

1. A two hour radiation emergency drill involving 75 Met. Edison Company employees and more than 50 construction workers. This drill is required once a year as a condition for licensing.

2. The four day shut down was due to a maintenance problem that

]involvedreplacementofanauxiliarymotor. Mr. Walter _ S. Poych, Coordinator of Services said, "The likelihood of such a nuclear accident is highly remote but the technical possib]Ilty that exists requires periodic drills in the interest of readiness and preparation." What are the technical possibilities that exist? What preparation? If these nuclear power stations are as safe as tha power companies would have us believe, and they certainly are constantly reassuring us that there is no danger, then why all the precautions? When the Power Ccepany begins to speak in terms of evacua-tion by nearby residents in the event of a nuclear accident as they did in this recent news conference, that's when it's time to start evacuating all nuclear plants out of the Ccmmonwealth of Pennsylvania. Furthermore, it insults the intelligence of every citizen to expect us to swallow such a conflicting story. i The Power Ccmpany informed the press that they would begin operaticns on Wednes- , day, Apri l 9. True to their word the towers began emanating steam Thursday i morning. However, by noon it began to dissipate and by midafterncon there.vas

no discernible evidence that it was operating at all.

It is new April 13 and there is still no sign that they have resumed cperations. What could possibily require the Pcwer Company to close down their plant for this length of time un-less it was of a sericus nature. It becomes increasingly clear that the Power Ocmpany has been'less than candid In its reports regarding the operation of these nuclear plants. There is tco much at stake for our Representatives to ignore the pcssibility of a cover up. From first hand epignep's,'sh ht!ves of the Power Company.1 ~rn g ify that evasive weapon of some of tMM Rdbf.tacto:- e .f Nuc' nr

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• and smokes.acUt:ealth cf!!cials's.ty it tr L -

rise frcm a Ifoacre.no n an's ready af'ectu g old!;fe.

• !ani! of crnsted crt and tun. Dr. Harry Gibbess* cf ce ' '

burst needa

• 'e 1 y<ounty ' bes.th ' depart,

The ersa tis an eyesore:.!! ment, which o de-ed the cen-: foots teore stert;e than men-struct:en moratcrium aro.:d

seing,

[ . the site, says the rad.aton

• But unde riesth the tcrsh'e emanat.r.g freut.the. Am; ;

s seed a d "Mtf* *t radroad can cause cancer and leu-t t.es he an estimat.ed J 64 n.L kem.a. ll Lcs tons of ratca"Te

t. l.

7:t is a 55:ar3 which cocid ,1::::f"~Tashr+s desc r**d tv in rnany years ame cer ain.y ' emCff~'olc:als as -!etrai*.be lecal to persons in the and a t.me bomb in the co'n-area." he sa2d. m.-.

• munity". of taJ

,mt11ic3 He said tha federat govern-shich surrounds the:n.. .rrect is "trymg to study it to Me &fcot#eep mou:s!.cf death to detertnire how far" , talhnzs was left behind when N 'daSger extends. ' i ' the Vitto Chemical Co. closed Gibbons says tt'e ta:!nps up sSep in fte late 1980s, after have to be moved, and t'ta e.5-for the !, produc.cg. uramum timated ccst tus as 1:gh as : federal government durirg 3' mil; ion. 't the post-war boom. '*! doubt the sta a wo !d The taJings.. the r #.!o-pick that up." he'saa!... act(ve res!dae 1e't after the Sen. Frank E. Moss. D... tramum is p ocessed, are Utah, in roduced a tdl etcre '. sti3 there because they are. t.%an a year ago that wou:d the center..of. a classic b* have al! owed t':e Ato<c reaucrate dennybrock: E v-Ener;y Commiss:en 'to ' pay d cryone agr6cs they are highly up to 73 per cent of the cost o! . dangerous but.r.o c.:e wants movtn3 the. d.:n p. to pay for ret.trali ng them. h a h Wem De. land tr et: ally en M cing -s u h closed with mm. foot cha.n b.:I /*.dored en AEC and En-link fence, s.4 posted haphaf v'rmmental Protect.cn Aten- , arCy agamst tr-spass. .t cy proposal that act en be d.- , ts, at least nom!nally, off !!* lared untJ a study was ccm-- Its so e ghtseers, a-d no new pleted of all such dun ;s ' corstrurt:o's is permitted, aroand the count y and of { t. dry d fumped en' top of the tsikrgs is crtss-I

c essed w

tti theel rtts a.d The AEC saf tn Septe-ber foot.trads, and the toner and h.nds may not to avada3:e to I

t smckestack' are emblaza-ed comp:ete that s'ucy. J w.*h graff:tt. .,.."It doasn't seert that ths V A. freeway runs, along the, AEC is anx:ots to 43 any-darnp's east side, a h:chsay thing.- a spckesman for . along the south and a s: ream Moss' o'fice. sa:d. "They're jneanders through it and og dragptg both feet.", to the Jo dan River ar'd the Mess c:atms thehitm drp/

• g:aat Sa:t Laka Eximni. !S ariferent from et'er ta.i-tnisirtsses contatte as ssaalF :rgs pdes fn the count y te-

. s'e:g !!s panmeter. cause it is endange :ng a The dump e n;ts raden gas.. come umry_of ha;f a miTh /shich haar.s on dust part.c:es He says it ceservts to and is biown arou'id the val- . le% by it e desert mud. Mer.;, ity. "The feden! governme::t ts

toring has documented the grossly ne;hreat in fo'hwea

. gas - and abhs., beta and up a heakh tarsrd cey had a gar' n'a rad.atml - m nef-hand in creatng " Gibacs borms h.ide at as tric3 said. as" $3 t::nes the *edera ;y es-Dr. Richard E. Kenner cf . tabl shed maximum leve!s. the Utsh Stats! Mecira. Asto-i _ ciation has called the k*-o

e e -- A ' sump *a tr.* oomo in t e commur.:ty" which mus!, te f i . defused before it goes o!!- i Moss says the d.mp Ls j

• !etgal" He and Rep. Waymr

'Vw e a s, D.Uuth, sto an-trodred Moss' biit in t'e j House, say the federal gov. - ernment admitted a moral ri-i g ,spons.Mty to neutrah:e ts- .dioactmr dumps when a pod j part of the cost of a s.mdar pro'ect in Gracd Junction.. Co.a 4 But, a Mass aide sa.d. ee - entire Vitro project is r.cw " hanging fire" shde the AEC determines whether it has ce - money to cortple:e its s:udy,, and shether it sants to spen.1: (t

• h*.*.They move ss darr.

p te mt..3, ~ l T D ]D *D o o J\\1 o , 1.; A 2 m. t l i t a 4 e e I / t i

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rs W l E [/%2 N N J d Lw u y.. p% t. M W [M M. is.a af F= / C 1. k v 4 at%as k.s si, k , g; ,A.., . Q. Z h '. m# X* i .~.6 ..f. g ",p,. ~m a "-v:.- I'd U W U d %l# d qlgm 'm.;,/d tJ ; ;J W1/ *aun,waJ d - I't,# ' Ca.: u d.q.. / -M L te m.pe u ws .J. WMUU v 4 _ f 44 aM la some states, leulectis is rne:ey and ;* d.!?, ( '; By SGMtA. DeVfRCILID 'frnet a reportah:e Essasaw. pcepA" she.a4 . S i e t e r - Rosa!!e Eertef! ' " 'ror sc'sent!sts Jwho hake' a e cancerncJ er.:4;h I' t.r. Sta'f Wnter t, e, ,7,,'. a ,dotaa't'2!:k energy.indepen- /(des trymg.to 40 studles en they.cas. carry c:re y.re: the effects cf raiatos from. pas tM atomy." 11ecce for the tJnned States le. ~~ ,oud. a pod i ea$ ;.. '; - 7-/8 suMic health records, data cf-f d v She'd1Ae to see a litt:e my - i ' 4tg.s.Emited. she sa,ms.~ ~ >. .., sist,, 3,n,:3 goce, og t3,; taal depende.-ee .w.th ce

0 t itroduc.:::

= catntnes.'. jet,tg.g 3.ucn-g ce d'ects i I , amotg-om.1.- .g g.7,3 rai: tics. on 5.G I j g A senior cancer research t . cancer panents aad 5.40 = ettentst at Ro we.1 Park I.te " cat ols* b a g't','..p used m .cncrial Hos;xtal Bu'falo, and g. dompad46 3e ca :cer patientsb 4:n New Ycrk (et-ynember of the Grey Nuns of N s clesrve of hev Y o rk City).. the Sacred 1-eart Mr more than 20 years, Sister Eenell g \\.. e. baltimore ar4 Mir.resota.. s h sq 3 led M p-was in Harnsburt yes:erday f lto speal; at a meetirg a the. [ - n2ced v., - '. v .. YWCA, Fairn a-i.Xa! nut { " mowever,, litt!e. citirdy is ~ aram !# study ct ce d- ,$ts., ryrored by Cuens for. & Safe Envurment. Her top \\ f l r power ra6 ',40 m'as Nhy Have 4 P.tsra:o , fects o. talc ea4 g g gg g, g. ,' "gh i "

• 1. 5

"# 5 g ,- while,carly reports based en i 'S:ste'r Be-ta we'.its l'he to ' t, been entcized tecause tney s hat cQ::stmct:os r.::c!c a r * '

• are. inadeqca;e, n> coe has Per p'aca ca,0f a' ut!

scet!.s:s can 43 some thor ',

.prweed mcney for o thor-W W V'"I* m^.' ^ ' pueh hea:th s'ates about the' ' [ k O '*' _ effects of rataben frors the.. 315TER EIRTELL; ** Sister Bertell thicks n,orst- ^* N.an3. f..",

• : *.. (. T e ;,%,j.

,y !!y also is an issue la de!ayteg M' 'e're energy-w se n.itir.i ttientists developed 'Eodet. ccestact.on pf we p& Po*" 9: ants. es top of the wadd/* she saA fuc!. sources - ff they knew I'I"23 355#5 'I' O' ~8"U

• in aa hierv.ew yesarday..the facts escut nuclear pee -

of. mmah %ch r% CAD.sion d043 our pro 2 er. 54ter Berte'.1 centendet ce ;ub:ic sho'.d.hwe. 'De, 'ress ami try /o he's the rest cink t heald issae is money. evar i syssed.y SM sad J,c e a c e r o !ct 4f the st'r:1 so we dcn't, have r ma* tha' de Ammic Esq w:etth. and safety,' and-t%e' t 2this div: sin - steh by the uhngness to sact:f;ce future way, causes sar - or e:se we Cornrr.mn's serrn a ' safe' f co".:fortahle. exse standard tcade people tbnit. ge-era ' <tas pt vp a.ma!! and have having that u want n;h> sour'own that as lor.: as a plant morted nas in As energy. crisis." .Itm" ' i standart the-o A moratonum ot construc- . 711e MS. shd tha o'lLpmduc.'. witha. that Nog countr:es caa!d set up, *,""3 "" Y'48#' .' ' tion of flucicar plants is in ef-a I, thnt wa

• 7 say, that fett in, New; Yorh's N;agara I"Jo:ne.L;mf of mutual. agree t.fnect.that 'would 'ad:nft some any. lew w she.sasi "k C Lion w I grrermne::t eff'.cfais heard
• bl - our r emnerabil.ty."' she, cause. harrn,"

thr.k we ceed a lot more data f testmany ce tra 1ssue.' > said.;"7.'e're act ledependent . C to say how much of a risk we it was testfying - before = c! the modi"s 6.ocer countrieWecent on, sant to take. The AEC ca'.Is Mapra. County cificials cat stacdartu 'maca ber.* vocal

• about the

. tbs (f.5. for rood sa;'pues. she their.' (rad.auca a sa:d.1.tr r e don't want a level.tte /jonestr pract;caMe' nuclear power issuf, she sai w "mutaa2y dc;cndes:r sys:e::s-a:nountJ. pew don't jay.N. -.s g y. g. - { aa t'.e s arid." v * ',; . a safe."' '..* r ...t'saw the types cf Decep-Studies 'of. ce' effects' of ton adg on, s.w statemerE , g g, t.', t.;,*. made wh:ca hst dot.'>1e W is:'er terteff, sh2 said she? S n was sseauag as as indirdual raiat:cn in.the ;ast have Ih mesmngs, saw the way ci:a-v and c)t on taha:t ef.co Ecs cased om workers in nadear eeg acton g ctps were be: 4 a.. ,., tres!ed and aan de cmey ben fire 3 Park bespaal, said she. psanators, she sant -rather taAe the:nst"..They da z r

• eir:14 a

t. of dorrucat os by the 01-pro, perses who drcps out of de power cornpan.es" she saii labor force or te nporary - "And underneath it a!!. I i be rg 'couctrics, *,'than puts saw some real'heak!! ismes s.e car present course of hem 2' he!Pr nd there is to follcw-upwidt the ia:ndy," sk saA. wkch 'were a

5fndependent< a a d surring u;7 i wi:5 radi- ' W:e powet.compan2es re- 'more. Battei a:1 proba9y. "Fre:n - worlung I heading for ~ the:., course of at;ca. that's where the daw 1 esse ir.for:r:stio t on hos +trar " ^ ' t ;, ' *. age is gang to show 'u;> ~ ia c m'u c h raiato:t is bets; s spreat over' a 'certain area the off3Pr:ng." Jt#.sacnfice.aad corsette... Leukemia as ope.cf the f rst. surr unding.a nuclear plant. -~. .... Americans wQuid be til!!ng Ne'gy.c.rring a nuc'. car pow, diseases' that results,-frc:n. hey t.4 cct ittcate,that rai.I r atten concentra es in the focu 'e,er plan ( ctoratorzurry - q' Je rada:;on ' exposare, she,said..n. - chain a-d.in the hrr.ta t:rj. '. e.M,,, A r t; .-l"' .s. troa g;ar.1 sre s24 ; s . There.is,a lot of money tted

• . ~, r c.

It'D3, she said, a:td the 23 Clear, 'pcwcr business 's:ards to trae ,l ',e loe ititQ aQs03.ouf '- p g 50 4 e.

A Mn: %%nf&' $'mp,R ; 9s-m a m m.w m aam .. Says Systems Need Testing L Expert Scores 1 -Mant 3isks 4- ~ 8"J%lMZ W8.*** He 54s "it would not be bresk, for example - the taally happening. This has 1 j - WASHINGTON - TSe na. Imprudent" to consider clos-core could get so hot it would not tleen done suff;ciently yet ten is plung:ng headlors into mg down all

• nuclear plants melt its metal claddmg and to jusufy large-scale nuclear an storme generation or elec. until enouth research is con.

rMease rad.oactive gases. budding, he adds. trle power without really un. ducted to prove tre reliabit.ty W o r s e consewn have He sa;d the AEC's attitude i don't of safety systems thmk that 2 la socaally irres been predicted by son was to approve nuc!est de. derstand:ng the nsks in. volved. according to one of ponsible to ask that we have To prevent this, plants are signs and then try to get the the Atomic Energy Commis. etN emergency such assarances of safety be. desig*ed sion's fAEC) former icy saf. fore se go ahead and con. coohrg sys: ems. me awe was u sa ety experts. vract large number of nucte. Hocevar says there are two let s see if Ws tMg sMs/ Carl J. Hocevar is the au. thor of one of the AEC's bas.c ar reactors." he says. ways to teet d such a system fmd a way to OK it.,",h, t ht's Hocnar mamtams. safety analysis meihods and De Washingten area is is effectne: build a nuclear an ereert in the workmns of a bracketed by me lear ut lity plant. cut off its coolant and He doesn't thmk AEC and i nuclear plant's hear

• 6ts ra-construct *. Poromac Etee. check the results. So far this has eever been done on.a indastry officials a e dehber.

dioactive core. Ife 'bles the tnc Power Co. has two plants ately trying to endanter rhe thistle

• last mon:. leaving planted in Charles Coun:y, lar;;e scale.

public. He sees the problem the ageney's Idaho T.uts re. Baltimore Gas & Elerinc is or the condit ons teside a as a rnauer of bask cre search center with a blast at latilding two more not far reactor taa be simulated in a entat. ort its attteude toward sa&y. away and Virgm a Electric & computer and the system "I thinic trost of the eng. The basic danger. Ilusevar Power Co. has echt nuclear res:ed mathemarwally. These says, is that the ACC 13 ap. plants operating u9 der con. " computer codes." as they rlcers invohed haven proving nurtear power plan:s struction or planned. are called, were Ns specialty mu:h thought to the quasten of safety and soaat coa. near heavily popula'ed are:s in a tonvsatenal plant. at toaho Fa!!s.. without ever anually havia* coat. o1 or gas is burned to In an inter"iew Thursday, acquences. I knoe - I was m tne same boat for a shite, tested the elaborate systems produce steam which spms a the 34-year.old engineer de. Enceers as a sho e have a designed to present the re. turbine gewenng generator. scr: bed h:s mafor concems. lease of

b. armful raho-In a nuclear p! ant, con- " 4f :he present sta:e of the tenecy only to sorry about trolled fission m the atomic a rt." he said "Yois cannot soivmg equations and bu.M.

The AEC and the nuticar core proudes the heat. Water futly descrie the p;ivskat ine ptrmps and the !ke we. activny. out thnkmg about the con. . Industry contstently hase is used to absorb the heat and phenomera tnt are occunng maintamed that the plants pro.ade s: cam for the gener. (in an atomic core) Surely seqmtes." are safe under a;l but the ator. ma!hematica!!y. Herevar is now working for most freakish of circum-The saier also is needed to it is neressary, he said. to the Boston-based Urron cf stances. Hocevar sa>s not prevent the core from gettag keep testmg the codes a;ainst Concerned soeEs:s. unw enough is known to olier sach too hat. If the water was lost happemags m real Ide tmt:1 ?Is oppse3 ex:e - If a major pipe irere to they cart predict that is ac-ar budd:cg programs, assurances. f hBk 0 4 m t 4 t 9. 0 1

o ..c$.v. .e x.,.M...r..a > ticiTh.rie.M . a.r~.~..n: :. -.m. ;-

:... a.

lE r +. , ' Nealth frons carrymg out'the r me. g. L -. "" Y, * #. shat mihht be acccot'able fer'ow m!gh; 3 Y date to the cit:zess cf the Co. .(Edcort . cause let.kemia m awner. _ ,, mons ea'th. ~- g A CAna.I UL RINIEW at the fetter - Unfortunately. arottrary exposure. ,-Vir2 ala$outbard.Chaarman, ,. frc.11 Thorn a Gerusry. Pennsylvama '.s. letels covoled with the mcomptete cal.. Clitens fer a 5afe Er.vircrac3t.' ^ Departmea / of Environmental Re. .cgianon standards preclude Mr Ge,,,,,fiarrispurg, s' soerces'J ' rector of Radiologiest + 11ealth; m ri 'erence to the Three Mde '.' rusty and the Bureau of Radiolog: cal.',.,, g u w.. - - - .s. sitacd enm nwear po.er mant. i

• dkates that he f.aaled to mention specif.

~* 1~

• l gM le points which the cit 2ensof this ares.r g

M abould know concermns the actual and l 4

• potennaldangers associated withT&f L' ' "

(* True. radioactivity is aos released.

, through the cochog toeers flowever.-

,7. tadioactive gases are re! eased on a < reg'.Jarbasis from thereactot eusidu:g. c the fuel'handhng buildans and other auxillary buildar.gs.This occurs edher, 's %e a planned release bas 6a er through /s aboermaloccurreoces such as recefitly '. occurred atp3 three tunes m atlun one ,een. , e point out th'at the interaction be-W t tween the coolinit tower plumes ar.d the "kaseos releases of radioactavity was '

• not fully consdered when radloactive A lodine emtssion hmits were set 'or the plant.The mitt samplina frequency is dependent upon a calculated espected e,'* radioactive nocLce leve6 ehich does not '

take into account the anteractioit, of

ecoling tower plutnes and gaseous re-

,i lenses.The AEC has admitted they are g enty now atten*pt ng to calculate ins ,(combined interaction effect ter deter. ,, sninies radioactive todme levels for . Tht!. This of fort is comoucated by the N latte number of uncertamtics to be caj. g culated. Steanwhile, the piant cuotta-q' vs to cperate and momterms is based ' ,,,,up a incorn plete data, at best. Mr. Gerus.:y states that ore of his ,".'t'uties is to protect us from unnecessary expcsure to radioactiuty.S.nce the lev.

• els co'scermng exposacs are set by i ' AEC.s bach has a vested eterest m no-

. clear power. at is vuod to quesuon the wealled ;' safe levHs of esposure. In

• ' addition. dosesuscepubdtty is knowe..

&Jo v,ary from one peIson to another; m w / I l i M e t A B T

e 6 , a.,. ' m. a m ).NticlearEnergyd W,. Dan ~ge.rs Ci:ed.~:.,4 ~ ' '.) .f

• DITOR: Ik O

.= e-TOR THE PASTYEAR the - M harrtsturg Pator a:1 Eve.'. [ g,. cirg News have taes strM,; e e.folchreattepubiconther':o- ) .-ject cf nuclear power,for. j ,. energy ardits hantda. I y; 1.kr cc.e,hn e heJ t': se n i artic!cs not c:If it. forma:a ? 'J* i.talso ah. m. g. 8 ,b,.,Despite atte:: pts by theencsy!;;:sta Department cf' . Enviros. ie:!st Resources; e ADER) and the Atomic - Ener;;yCc nmisun(AEC)'.3 rpassare the pubLc c3 the *, 4 Eafe:yof nut!*arpaser3r :is . use.' the endence -is c7er. .,',whc!mitig that n;aless tb3 American peop;e vigarcus y . pro:est a;;ainst the.use of

• .atortic power to,soi.e our.'.emergy problems now,it sC1 -

make our prefect-day pn!>,

i. tion prob! cms lock 11e a Sea.

. daySchoolrien:c.... . ' Dr. Har.mes Mfres. Notel - /L1ureate in Physics. wri:t g lia May.17 2 is::e of Tto Eul- lerm of l'te Atomic Scie:Usts 4 said,"F _ics enrrrr !$ sa:e ..c-Jyif a ern::ct of creical G-F vices sors as t ey sacu;d: Il y there is no sabotage t,r h..;- , Jacbngcf tr:nspcrts;if ra c. - actor-tlc! processrg ;.rt cc .,reprotes,ang piatt cr re-o. i t! tory a :pt.ere in toe scr!1 s ,' is sittsted 13 a rer.!]n cl r.r.ts v,cr gcerni;a actiny;1f c3 rn. .% clutf03 or sar-esen a cr. ventional one-tates p; ace it s

• these regtor.s. The ecort-ms y quantity of extremely cas-i, gerous matenal rust cet ;;.i

. icte the'hafids cf it" ort. t d people er cesperac es. N2 s acts of Gc1 cas-be per. ., mitted. 0:e doe a't t.m:13. be a scienust to compreted i 6 ': ate dacprs and thy pstf aJ3 c! this messa;;e. ', Now Ilertert S. D'enchcrt * . nil!becomeanitiMgralpsttcf ( .; the Pub;ictt.hry Cendu " . Jtos. Mr. Eccer. berg, wame 3ame is nevr a housre:1 r word.isvigorouslyc;;csewta ,1210 pro 1Jera: ion cf rec;cr I f power s:r.tiens for e:crgy.. a '. Governor Sts;p is to be ca;n.

• mended for his choice. It /

adoesn't come any too soca... 'S ' There are many I'terna- 'tives to the ener y pest;ert - 's that are cleaner less deacy ' Cand more econcrtical Saiar - ~ g,ericrgy, wh;ch tr.is newspaper. i described in deta.l. geother- * ' mal energy and %;nd energy. i';No doubt tacre are more ! s e

• c would put our technology to
• wort expturing the possi..

' bilities. Onfy the America't peo;le. can bneg a halt ts the irres, ,7 ponstbstity of perpetua+.2ng tne - dangerof mcremaculacu. red ' plutonium '.J3. Nuther the ' DER nor the AEC obvmas!y hasplanstadono.. 4> \\ .'-Jane L.Domehue, (*~. ' Etters " n 'ty. #y * - p, se t, *j j a. e,

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',i 2018L 4S C.f' M. Q ..'T .'.,5.*. .. O '. ', ~ ' M,', Q} (.' ~.. ~~. ,'.C a-O e n r'3. u O. 6 4 n, ; [- ,j. ~2n.. - y.;.=.y.;.. POOR _ us ' amonmnF y. n., 3.w.s;;;.a .a e e -.y. .x. .-. w w m : y ; w y T'acse 'camsters 3ould(be 'Jevel' railigactive vasty basiIncluding sev By PETER 'J.' BERN5HI?( j mission UEC) will bolJ a putra turctica, and disposal in deep' pletely. De camsters thcrg a. Tong-term sa I

Newhouss he'es Serdce W ASillNGT0!(.5 Aton'tc. Tliursday, to 'cidishfer, poten

• by muctcar.. explosions.f to ;by.thef salt w!!hh{ "a,short tt4 the, storage facG!ty at one tute shieMs and placed w!Lh -abte.

eurgy offWiels are to a gaare"tial_ sites forbsposing of plu name a few. For the 'tirne.tl m e. Consequently..the ;of three teactor test sites ;- in it,well-guarded AECJn-put plu'omu:n tr ths key fv.>t..~ The llnlos of Conterned ? ^ gruy over bow l ta deposek.tonium and other,highty ra,teing

• the AEC, is weythmg chance of ever tetriemg the in !Je'vada". Idaha or Osting istal:ation..One reasovi~for t o

r bas' s uf ty' of plutontunt 2'O. the d:o.ctwp wastt.s. 'At a hear ' two afternatives: burymg spe. wastes would be-lost, ard ton / J1 /gaards ts that plutontuiti can' actor riew la the derefopmenP ar ' development, es.tremeh rad:o.ictive, and 'ing two seeks' ago in fash-wasses 'dcep' undpr,;round in.with tt the ability 10 cope with. 0 m e ' disposat* technique,be used to construct a nuclear stige, and its whicspread ne the're Js' no Ocquate ' sat progrrra l'a eahtence to 4 .be eg considered by* the, AEC ' weapon.. * ) Les phead. f denSy' shstanre kit" over. Inpon, envignm.cntalists urg natural salt depoJts/or err unforesee6. problems. ;d sur. un- ; rurrciitly 'm'est of the t'po.. Despite a great I!eal of ef.'. he ' frrun ' uclear tiwef prdi sc-fd. the ALC. to suspend aft' capsulating them in,,$urface,' Holdirig the wastes I Involves solidtfytng the tra' tenhmi ta being stored tem fort on~ the part of the AEt

• I""
  • • "*"sts 11Le C' c'o burned plutonium and s

development. aturage facilities. 7 face f actht eg sould pep t Some s<ienti , q nue. lear power / r g iuntil a soh.tsnn to the waste..The seit dtpost:s are in nam wastes from rtuc? car I fact. reprocessing phants and rap at a conimWal,gro and. the nurfrar.,powtr la-Wald Nobel Prue a , Because plutonium ts 20#6 dnposal problun is found. stable, areas where ca rth-thnes niore teatc than', cobra Tim volume of plutoruum is ' quakis are very infrequent. .to M.cr sh W qaw encapsulatirig them Ja'stairi cessing plant in opstate New. dust [y to reassure the pub!!c professor of biotr gered. ht the pnre of th s less steel can%ters. About, it - Yorit.' t'nder present rega-that po safety, hazard ettsts..y a r d ' Umvers. . h largu,The d@culty 'is But dispel in salt means h ilai'onof. 0;ie rmthgram. that 'It must be isolatcJ from* the wastes would become te. 'spproach !s eternal v!sitance carusters, each one fcot !g tations, it:cse' wastes vnust be toany people rcmain yeaom. and. because In.not and to feet icog solithed ' within fwe ' years vinced. W1ule no serious ac4. w a a t e. disposal-pioLI. Obe si:e et a, p:nhead).fs' the ' earth,*s. Intnh e iron

• tetriegatle after a few years.* over the. waste stores, ensur.drameter titly a capacity.cf about, s: and be shipped to an AEC in-aler.t.has occurred in the nu. *Where." he asked tiot I Ibeir -immurury frs:n a.. hon. l feat from plutomum er, c:Ld. Jng

, emgh to kill a person, within ituent, fqr. up' to ra&oactive subs.tances, floods; earthqudes and wars, cubic feet, sould cor.tain the b stalianon for disposal within 10 clear power todustry.so tar a. ago Visi thcrs a p:ste a couple of days, nw. lear sci, years.- / ' hat ly h ' * ' ' retent 4 Al"C revkw ' shows Teartli the2e we *can guas . erstats consider its dispu.al to ' Vanous maste. ' dispou!' mould cause the sait to flow. The ACC has decided.te wastes produced eacta yor by years., y ,i other pubhc safety 13me. stemes have been proposed plai.tnally around the stet.1 buy t!me by but: ding a tem, an a.crage.s: red.1.0uQ-mepq '$a far only small' amounts.that dartug Im therg wete t tee ; geog perary s!grage facihty where. watt nuclear power plant / ac. of phitonium have bcea' pro-861 ;* abnormal occurretices*' and pohtical stabihty for te niese important than any -.removat. to* outer space.' camsters' contatnb.g the -- 7 ,p -- aberatfng n.'.uc.le.,ar plants, m!!hons of yegrs? the wastes couh! b3 kept uit!! cordmg to A1:C estimates.. duced, and the b.uilt cl high,at .-.. lite,arona,c..E.p gy Cow burial.in the icecaps of An ".w_aste, valmg tbcm off com-- ~ ~ .-,-e ner s. s' -9 I -4 g I

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_e4.- t. OELAHOMA i p'The Atomic. Energy' Com-i ' J a II - S t ra a in a.' A E C - j . faistion' Tuesday reported _spctesman. sa:4 enforcement.* M.ree ' floncompbances, of. acuen would le-taken by the, {ederal regulat: ens at.an.AEC agamstKart McGee walr ; I Oh!ahoma-. piutonism plant regardtothe uemsof ap.narent ; ,4bere a wormat bet am, nor.cc ec phance. . Car.ta:niriaied and d.ed under. I Kerr *.,fcGee Nuclear Corp.'s e nlysterices circumstar.ces. pla:t along the' hanks of the' ' The AEC a:so said it had. Cimarren ~ River in Crescent. j .' substantiated. partially ',or Okla.. has been the center of a :., shally,20 of 39 si!egaLets of ' Controversy surreur.6tg the ' safety h4rards reads by.ar.icis, p!utentum contam; nation and 'i , ~. auto death el an empicye. .- Karen Siiavood.3.

• I e'

Ar.cther. AEC repert issued & McMay. said PNtomam was '! %,added to tse ur:ce samples ~ - efter they' were taken from ,t.M;ts Silwood but before they,i _ Dera ana!yred-r- .Strasma -was pressed to ', [ explain Tuesday hos t*e AEC. - could assure the safety cf the "" plant uhen it had rutstantiated ', . the possibhty ci a cri.acaiity., protle n that coi.!d lead to an-

1. . esplosion.. ', ;.. f.',,,; "- i r.'...i '4. 1 6 J 4 i

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• purpose and carried out early Wednesday' functions of the drdi during a, measures are maintained mined by Met Ed teams tak mg personnel also mere mvited to A similar r adiallea

'"[F P 'I evenmg at th* Three Mlle Snmmute news conferenc*. meter readings in aducent observe an(partscrpare en the emergency do!! =as staged at. Island Nuclear ' Generating %edncaday afternoon at the are s. e sercise the safe in M arch. !<4 s4: Mk hMkM Station in Susquehanna River, station'a observatwn center m*mths before Und I began ~ neer Maddletown - Poyck stressed to nessmen Id8ad arruPants en eent of a* Met Ed spokesmen at the operatmg at full gene <sueg Moedterir.g the wednesday, i

• The drill. required ence tach. the tikellbnod el surh a nucicar

"8#"'I 9 - year as a condition of hcer>' ahc6Qerst is higidy remnte but 'Beth 'm e n stated. g test for whgrh three praclece. neus conference said the capacity A se(mnd untt rosterg *,, the drifls mere staged earher were 792.000 k6tomalf Unit I $C0 millwn is scheded to. - sing. m as described by $let Ed the technical possibility that eyacuation of residents nearby representatives of Energy generator was espected to be start prortucing asaace ' spokesman a s a

• • es ilt. - e:Ists in nuclear poner is the event of an actual.Researd; and fevelopment back in operation 4ednesday kilowatta newt year,

,. rn unications' es ercise'.*.generatinn requires permdic-. ce g. _t ' simulating on actual loss of drills in the 6nterest of. ..s4< . readinest and preparallon 'DA*Ao Poyrk noted there neer hat 1" A been an se talent of this statisre

• g in the countrysstnce podcar

,. power plants have been in" existence {. Seelinger said. the doll mainly invohet on sete' ac.

• l tiv6ty in uhkh Metid per-I sonnet ' esamme. plant can.

ditions to determine the degree. C, , of the emergency.the potential effect of off site <*oses

• of s

radiation and the Institution of 3 - l,lmmediate steps to correct the , problem IIe emphasszed that, '.tbe umts are w;ulpped to, e i 'autoipatically stIut ' dowtt irt case h leak develops, virtually

• eliminaling,the need for

' eyacu.ttles 'and 3ther.. \\\\ \\ i

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} On Safety Questions y XEC Joeuments list '8WT3ression o:: crities . z b. n by DAVID Bt;RNHAM ports on the potential reactor or g:na!!y' were leaked. by w we wwe m = WASHINGTON. - Atomic hazards have emerged from AEC officials to the Union of i an exammat6on by the New Concer9ed Scient.' sis, a 306-Emerg-- 'Comm:ssion (AEC) York Times of hundreds of toa. based research group that documents show dat for at memos and letters wntren by has questioned tnany coro-least the last 10 years the commission and :rdustry offi-maston policies. Others be-cQmmission 2 repeatedly has cats smce 1%4. Add.tional came availab!e as a result of pought to soppress stud.es by material was found in the su.ts and threats of su ts un-Its own sc entists that found record of an obscure comm.s-der the Freedom of Informa; nuclear reactor. sere more sten heanng in 1972. Marinerous than ~ off;c:aily ac-tion Law by such critics gf Some of the documen:3 the corrmiss:on as David Din- .koomledged.. or that raised questlers about reactor safe-smore Comey of the Chicago. .ty devices. based group, Basmess and Profess:enal People for the One key study, which the Public Interest. rommission. kept from, the public for more than seven In response to an inquiry years, found that a ma;or re-about the comm:ss:on's infor-actor accident - shou!d orie mation policies. L. Mann.ng occur - cod hait effccis Muntzmg, director of regu-e M h:3 12 8 "&*-V*d htion, sa:d that "there 's no wespog.* k!!! r.g u2 h3tt agency as dedicatad to opan-i persons, aj that "the EN ing up as the AEC." He con-YETje~ sne of, sga a_ c safC. ceded that there had been iEI ht be equgl. to that of et " bad examples" of secre::y m g gTI:e" o[Pennsy! yard" the past, but he sa;d that be- 'In' addition, the documents gmmrg "three years aga ne show that the comn ;ss on ig-created a revolutionary open-nored recommendations from ness - we may not be per-its own scientists for Or2er fect, but ue're a lot better." research on key safety q.es* increasing conce n about tions. And they show that on the inherent confhcts in the AEC's twin roles of regu-at least one occasion the com-i mission consulted with the :"* larmg atomic power and pro-dustry it was supposed to be moting :ts use p!aled a rme regulating before dec:dari th:s year in the congress:enal not to pt. bush a study entical dects:on to sp!.t ce corrm.s. of its safety p-ocedures-sion into two agecc:es - one t Details of the comm:ssion's - to sponsor energy research efforts to avoid pubi;samg re-and one to monitor the cuc!e-ar industry. s k e f O -/ O

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3 s s'. afett 'and '.Buit.fmg. 4EG E:st *lest if h '* Arcsey.The ptbucisjr.vlted te)' .I. An Atomic t Lkem.rg 'Appcti Bosed. pill w.,a y.Bethesda.;cnacerns tt.e ' '# atteni m -. '. f ',. * ' ]. - ,.4 #. '-., -

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a' 14 ' g - p,' t. -i. i.' ? '- g s * ^' '.l, ' s' g V,,,. ' he.g oral argument en Dec 11. -liccasing board's June L.' o l1,4agm en&enas '? :M "c'L'2RMotoi, Fad, ure stl Tlirce mdeu, ,.., _c la the crerating, r,. 'In' Bethe'sda. Did. $n kaatlers { decision a _ s. +.= s--. n..y},,-' ..,,!**',,*f. . g. y ' *, - condderationi of the too,Unh 3 owned, y Pmladelph:s . )..., ',, -t f j *, f' q i ' Peach Bottom nuclear pomer" E!cetricCo. ' pla ats' combine.' thermal. Presentations w t! be made.,. .. -,.i.*,e-. g,, A -, [,. by the utility. Atomic Energ -. 3 j,, A c; Gommission regulatory staf...t , f., adischarges. I,The sesuon ein begin at 10 the State of Afaryland and teh.;.... 7 Lv e e- ..e m. in".the appeal board's Cornntodweelth. of ' Penn ' '- taken out cf service iThis type of failure mas sn-severst poect leiefs before heartng room ca the fif:h floor sylvania and the fedwal En hree' llfile Island Nuclear was ~ d of thq,Easi-West, Tewers vitonatental c?rotgetton.!Cenera:Ing / Station 1.'ait yo, J Sunday night-for uccial ticipated during the ocs:gn of' being put into comn9teial' .f run erance aRre a control the reacter systems and ed not serviceanSept 2 Sincethen.ft ; ,- ', i. j ',,*, .3 .8 t- ". - ' J - ; # 1,. e.h

• j.. rod drive tnotor failed.

,'.1resalt. in any urs2fe 5 con-.has run et. virtually Ir4 par.. h * ';,,' s Afe;ropohten Ednon Co. 'J li t o n s.'

• a. c o m p a n y ceat power escept for e le diy.

e,, -i . reported,. the proble m spokesman saii. * .: rnalnterance cutage to fa - rehaf salve 'icas shen the

• desebped easly Sunday and

.',',m -* the p! art mas redred to e per T 15 e p1a a t' en tbV plant ane out of serster frem e i f, determinatien of the et esatimr centof ratedprmertoal:ow fer' Sas1achsina Pner between Oct. 20 to 30/1he p:ar.t bss.-l York llaven and hi'Mletown'., t,can rperatmg at pmver smM 't , p rob!rm s. The control rod, was taken our of s-ruce et 9 that curage until iha proNern i 5 allecxJ by' the snutor failure t. p.m. Sunday and is scheduled developed Sunday - s, dropped mto its in@ leserted..tobeshutdomn for fave days',

• Despite the previews,,

,gesit on and rerismed (Fere.' ) *

• 4 malatenance enta ge. tKp

,"Ehen insertede the; control 2 ~ The 800 megamett riucieni company said the 500 milbmt y ' rod checks. or decreres. the a fueled generating station facility has estabt.shed a g%f '+ } fission process;. thus this shstained its first chain,reliaNIIty record.,produemt 4 situatica.would deter the, teaction on Jhne ) and gent 31.2RO00.tl00 kilowat: hours 4f. ! ituclear e reaction! somenhst. through a series of tests, ar..electricitysinceSept.2.. q2

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i,e-e I s .c< 1 r. f ,1 t c., 1 c { / /, j = t 't...' /(- h,*,., / xs s s -s N .o. s P \\ l I [__ Our Lives May Be at Stake 7[66, by Margaret Mead ~/5EJ' How man, Americans are awarc of what that comsnitment to the propowd nu-ais ait out commerment to a nuclear pro ckar procram carnes with it a umque gr am to genetare rower wiu mean to our threat to hunian n.ahh and surusal. own saf.ty. and to the well hems o( our The nuclear prostarn is sail m the chsfJren and future generations as tar doctopment stase. 1Fe still can covi-ahead as peuple t m imarme? sider what other options we : ase anJ At the heighi of the fuct shortages, anale other. far safer. choices. If we Richard \\l. hon as Preudcnt told us take acnon now, we can prottet the that the Onsted States could become m-future. dependent of ot'ner nations in the ore On the face of it. the liquid metal fast-duction of energy bs the mid1960s arrd brecder reactor (LMFBRi program. of that the Cosernment was takms inc nsc-which the Atomic Eneigs Commi sion essary svens to see that this hisniv de-has been the chiet aJsocate and prck sirable goal would be accomplished. The mater for wseral scais. has an a:most nuclear encegv program, on which the magical sound, indeed from the point Atomre Energy Commisson has tieco of uew of those who think onts of gen-workms for 15 sears, would, he said, cratsns enerss-iast guanntws of erergy turn this bright promise into a reahty. -this advanced reactor looks ideal For 4nd because the 4EC is a Gosernment the LMFBR produces rnure noionable ascocy that Amencans deepiv trust. fuel than it consumes and so it is saad? most peopic haie fett less anuous about will conwne our supphes of uraniurn the future. g for centunct The more nudeas ma. So for the ume bcir.s we hase luu the tenal we put mto the re:scror, the more sense that we aic ;a the midst of an tus.onable marenal it will procace; anJ enersi cnsas. We hase come through a the more reactors we budJ, the more summer durms which most peopic hate bountiful the production or fact will be. i had enough sas so so w here thev wamed This in turn seems to mean that we can J to so. and there is no great som about count on an adequate s ppis os electnc. a ( heatme tuet (or the wmter. It's serv its-the onte maior mdustnal appucanon espensise, set. btit it's there 4nd a great of nucicar enersv-no master how hears many people are saung, 'That's what our demands for energs may become the cnsas was really about-the pnce we oser the nest 20. 40 or 100 vears ~ have lo pa r!" As we hsten so the forecasts of the For tne present it is caw to be com. Atomic Enersv Commisuon about t!'e a placent and not ad quest;ons about pootb41ines of the nuclear energy pro-cructal decisions bucs made without our gram. it is almost as af-en terms of knowledse or parnacanon. But i be-energs-w e had at last realized the bese no alert and concerncJ Amencans dieams of medicsal alcitemasas of turn- %ould he atift:1e to nas ttw tremendous ar.g baw metals mto pure sold. Once of complatenst if ther reaisted Contamard ora psee 34 U 'f"CC4 s'*Ce*4r pdfveee vor. ./ / s s W 4D

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, - M n '.s o - u c. - %% 6a: - 2 .s What. Atomic leers, Comtrismun or Irum ew 4 + w. n w id64 wr.s tner rN s N w u or 4.. A.J r. as 'uswn ess 04uavn.um ca;n car be re-mdasstries th.st are rapediv becomir a in i duccd. bl.a rriark6t for the purpose of mains volved m the awvanced LMFBR pruersm At d&rer.t stases uf the fuel cvele of an atomic weapon. The pruuss of trak. are the krmw n risks Yet these are rnks I the LMFBR it w ol be necessary to trans-ins a bomb is no 4onser a secret Se s- ", m3 estraordinary that every cituen m the I port nuclear maiena!s sontainms pru-ent.sts may that anyone harms the knowl.

• whether this is the rund to enersv mde. ' tontum to recrucemns piants and later crac-and tbe plutovuum-<ould make a aauon should hate a vosce m deudans 6 crude but e*fecteve bomb in a bawinent pendence we-or angone-should rAc l hack again to the fuci-tabncation plants.

imorkshop And plutomum wel be onc clement in 'e Informed scientists base Jeosed I the nus. tsar waste matenals for w h.ch e There is the nok that a nuclear re-these r6sks for nears and as esnerience 5 sate storase util hase to be found acts cuufJ be an cocmy rarset or that % hat an acudent to a nuclear reastos could. , with thc hsht-wa:er reactor. the one now .*/ we hase m prospect. thers. if the pro. release anto ths; atmospnere enoemous In cornmerual use, has grown, more of / posed program ewr reaches the com. 1*, them hasc spoken out in warnens Most I, mercial stage. is transport oser puohe quanutses of radiancine substances that scientific 8:ecusssons about the produc, hishnass and eventual ner*r:anent stor-would be far more lethat than annt*uns a taoe of miclear encras are sery hard foe, are not of pounds but of tons of lethal we espenenced dunris bomb teusi As n even informed lay we now know. many hundaeds of whit persons to under. ' piutonsum that must be guarded nery an Kiomir Enersi Commimon t'n k

• . i stand. however, there ase certain facts
• that any thenkms person can take intolf some.t-for thousands of centunes tu instan forse' report cal:cd "aWEormal icGr'.

j account. And as >ct. no one know s how to Atomic reactors produce plutomum prosade " safe'* storase. None of the ci-rdnus"Tase taich place m the few hsnt-r

• U9, an artdicial, man-made element that pentnents we have made so far have water reactors ~how'in operauon. Ac.

( ( . is perhaps the deaJitest substance en the 3 prosed to be safe ocn f or short penods. corfms to 1.*us re' port.~madou%c~Iast - January. about 40 per cent <J the uc-l Jeorld. It is Leown, foe esample, that a l currences were related to deliciencics of i macroscopic amount of plutonsum. if inn

• desan or fabracauon. The rest "were haled, would be enough to produce a anevitabin, b) comtmitms cunehes to

,, funs cancer. and at as belaeved that the a nucicar program for thn producuon of caused by operator error'. Improp aaement. inadeauate-crectaon control. . dispenal of a few grams of pluromum enersy, we also are a6cet ems mered.ble admirustrauve dcliciencaes, random fad. nsk s ' throush the aar<ondn4onsna sstrcm of a e Thcre is the nsk that dunns trans-ures and combinanons thereof." Luckds [ larse. n,odertr off6ce building would be none resulted in masmely dangerous ac. portanon reprocessed plutunaum ma cadcots. But what suarantee h tPere

+

-)," - enoush.to kill ail its occupants B,4t ' what is most auonnhms abuut piuton. be ward bs consciencetest hitackers-or that we would do as meti d the much i g 5 1 tum 39 is that er will remaan dcadh dan. esen by high-enmdsJ f.nanca -and used more comples LMFBR program carac b) them as a ternbie threat \\- seruds' for 200T 4 some scisnusis he c into commercial opera pon? There sa the nsk that plutonium. I think any automobile uwner w ho has e hese.5000J0) n.srs. To almost ansone's which is one of thefamonable maternah becn utidiged to return hh latomodei ,$4 ' tsamorw anacarest rottere me r ~ s,l '* ~~' .f *Q .'**g~ p ~ - w.- ~ cM to the fxtory for correction of wme action Jansirous fault or any hotnewdc who. hhy are we putuns so much arams. And ssen today, when we know has had to efeal with the vagaries of "es-money into the nuclear rcactor program? so mucit more about the risks invohcd. perts" sn the repair of s.mpic hous6 hold The basic dAculty of bnnsers the only the most out.poken enucs base appliances w i!! be Jotabitul. whole problem into the open. I beltese, dared to challenge the retorpmenda.

• And there are the risks of perma-is the tremendous orntire we have ac-trons of the Atomic Enersv Commisuon.

. nent storase To whom wd! we rise the corded the Atomic Energy Commnion. The new Envrronmental Protection stcrtle tan of guardma thcsc potennal y Law reouires escry Cosernmerrt agency ( polfutants that are capable of eradarser. she commtwon tus ntabthhed aficr to prnent an ampact statemcut that de- .ms every hvirs t.tnos for sencranons out World War !! to sase us from the ter. scnbes the edect a prorued prograr's .. of.rrund' nfyins dansers of our own msention. will have on the emironwns and da- / Dr. Ifannes Alften. Nobel Laureate in ) Phmcs. unues in the Mas.19~7. issue the atomic bomb At that nme we tels cusses ahernautes. ha t ersy Commimon refused to prepare -r of the Reserfer of the tomrc Scecerrastr. it was a treamph-a7d it was--that we an impact statement on the huse and summed up the vacwpuent et many se remosed control of nuclear desices from possib y disastruus nuclear reacicr pro-the mdvarv snd assured ourwhes of entists. cmlian control. gram until a court, responding to a peo- "Tenuon energy is safe only if a num-A sruup of wise and dcsored senators, ple's suit. forced it to do so. Esen then. her of cntical deskn worlt - hould. d a number of peop!e in key pou. and cocaressmen sase the commission atter sisms the task of preparirs a draft as thev to the wry part of the comnusswn re-s sreat powers in order to protect us-and tions follow all their anstrucuons. d there is no sabotase, no huxkans of the all unknow ma, sase over tou much pisw. sponsible for the program, tt*e ccenmis-

• transpotis, af no re. actor-tuct processing er. For the comnusuon was saen the sion sprarentiv isnvred the rsports of
• plant or reprocessms plant ur retrosi-power to make all the rules, to cuablish its own comened commestces. In par.

ticular. the drat (impact statement vir. i standards of safety and to judse whether tually ignorcJ, or pia >ms dosvn, the tory an>where in the wor!d is utuated those standards were bems met. It alternatnes sse hase to the use of nu-a to a region of nots or sucrn!!.s actatty, , and no revolution or war-even a ' con-was even the power to drude what uws clearenersv for the product 2on of power. were to be made of nuc' ear enervv. by These alternantes-solar enersy. sco-i venuonal one'-takes place in these re-whom. on what scale and lor what pur. thermal eners>. wmd encrse. eacret de-sions. The enormous quantny of poses. t estremely dangerous matenal must not in a word, the AEC was made the rhed from ocean thermal aradients and \\ set into the hands of isnarant reople or pombly controlled nuclear fusiorw i \\ desperadoes. 'No acts of God can be tmuator, the judse and the jury in ev-veloped and used, af necessary, m con-ergt'ues to do wah nuclear enersv-all juneuon wHh one another. could prostde. . perimeted." V-sfus to resulate its use. But if all this is really .s so. Sou may But oser the scars. as nombdities for us wuh safe. dean and relia *>le sources . well ask, how has H come about? Why peaceful uws of nuclear enersv emerged, of enerse to repiace the dwindlins sup. s don't more informed people protess? the comnumon became not so much theBut the fact is that the Atomic Enersy piks of fowl fuels. hy won't Eonstess take re9rramans resulator as the promoter of new pru-y s Commimon has no mandate to recom- ,s. ~ . g. i - p g s ,%s

1. t i

7 J / s e W

e v ~ r-e f d. e s I trGnd (he'deselopmeet of onher forms of enersv. It a conocrncd or.tv with nocicar power. regardlew sJ the countTe real ns eds or ens es onm.-ntal ufett or the well brins of inens people.and future sencrations, or the Jansers of setting up T sotaal controls pouceful enough to pre. I went the mtsuse of nuclear matenals, t In spite of thas. most Americans stju picture the comtmuson as the suoa { watchdos who suards us from the de- 'J mome capacities of nuclear nsuon. We g g cannot reafire abat the watchdos in g whom we placed our trust has become a killer dos with tremendous powe: for harra. And of we do recogruze this, wh'at can we do* What can ordinary citizens do that scientists with their. specialized knowledi;e and high prsange hase been unable to accompissh effectnelv' The Atomac Energy Commission sta rides hish. ',,t., ,r i e hase arrived at the crossroads of decisson. We still have the choice of which roaJ we shall traset. No com-6 merciath feauble adsanced L\\tf DR has. been built. Other options. toos dslascJ. are siall open. We can insist that the w hole problem be opened for Jns unwn in terms every. i One c.ua undesstand. We tan inet that crerr option for the develi.pment of . power rewurces be esplored with ade-easte fundsns We can inmt thJt the search for safe power be dnersiheJ so ll thal we can make choices that will Leco l our child en's future opeq. We can in-l nas th.at w one adenen Jesoted to one ' form of energy production, will be al f lowed so usurp the power of decision. i Most immediately. we can anust that Consress refu,e to pass the nest multi-l ms! hon dolfar appropriations bill pre. e sented bv the supporters of the riucicar ; d reactor pt'osram. We have succeeded on ' other occauons. We can succeed in this. Af ter all. w e are trot sheep to be herded ~ by a watchdos we can no Ionser trus'. As aroused cmzens a! creed to danger, we can he acttselv sisolant in our own be. half. A 7tra ENn Reeders who oppo.se the AEC.sparrsored l . program for the listed metal fast breed- ( er reactor and the Ja.tseroiss use of oss+

• clear e*retsi for the av dtsctwn of power a v

een espress thest opposttrare most e*fec l lsvelv bv wrntiers to thest senators and 6 representstaves. Thev rest serse torett le'ess. l laturs no de* cat the nett m ltintJ! son-u dollar aptvropruunon proposed by sup. I s \\ porters ut the stuclear reactor rrcarem I \\ end unnst shut adeguate tuotJs be voted l for esplorms sinch afternotte ot;ethods a.s 4 solar and scothermal energy for provid-l has safe pois er.. Reeders also cesrt make theer optnwns cormt by wettmt to Ra:ph Nader's Con-sress Watcit. 133 C Street SE, Washms-tort, DC. 20A13. not orsano:stson that ws;l send thest commwsrcstwns to nsembers n ut the appropriate congressronal com. o mmers. Further mtormatron on the Maht for sete power maw be heJ fronn J. . Gustave $peth. et the Natural Resources i g Delen e Cvwocd. 17l0 N Street NW. Washmtrun. D C.201336. -tits tDETons l / /

== .-em -w m Ee s 4 em

f s ~' h, e s rbk ccitructeg nuclear poweg sta. saurce's but at te'st th*v can'fo 1,.Med ( a rainfall. Cituens are l'av'rg water"*b I Ed3ars..,,.<,. 3.* a, ( 0'>ns cre,a@t tu commman,

• . the Departn.e.st of Ln.arer mer.t.J De-g. prehlems in, tr.mr basements where'. - y 14fT WrEKTresd tlib inti:rrst '

[i [ an>r*fe pd.J!>hcJ in 3eur paper re-s c f nq to 6 hey ad -, s.r'scis m.1hua far I hre yct la re og- - they rmt had a water problem be. ' ~d tJ ,i - e e ag w m Iw h.:w amas. t fure. Mere is the Q

• g{5 i

v. w Dmg that M. up E.tw n Flectrte ca.,. 88d"2kSn8 M "C*P'. IT' 30P'. : - We need 'someone in the DER anJn 8 M M =R tt.e clapng of tha liaines dump stktt Q *t the Sr re levet the m;# staun + u forced ta shut Awa its No.1*. O stIa.ic reactor at 11 rce Mile Islan.cs a y l ' bd M eM',nunt ad W,W -+ t*C, ' Ju iwn. lie thu4 ann was sihcJuleJhp ' dY ",'l' " "Y Fif fiar Gcaratinp Station war f.fiJ. J 7" "S ivestment'.fl.at many htuens have CJ ~ ~ 4 ( ,a combat the niuneyun and the ( made,' regardless of.the powei blocs 2

• foCNov 2 to. change Irakin8 safet1 *.i' tis cituens proper protcction apinst ' 9-DER to acco out a land !Jil er a 4 tar e r g'

.t - ? M.$ e g [ g ; valves and lesung p.W kmg gl.umis hd,,*.,,these hatards. This Commonwealth kry. Water froso shoppmg centers and au 1. bahn, r, ,g { ' Ouse they were leaking at a greater l spends a fortune for personnel in the.., d*selopments are, flodng homes. ' ' e, are U oded every time me have h Etters' ,] {[* m3 s.eduled t e ec'l[s ear y ' e g ~ 7he public'1s cohstantly reassured g th a no' danger exists,yd we note tha(,',, * - i + - 3 s g, / rahactive gases were accidentally,, ),.%

• 7 ***,

,,g ,,s,*'

• /,

,3 rtpased into one.cf t!Le plant build? [- y v.

• {

c*- f" " ] }" Inab. There were also twe other to,; 3 'q ,c y chf3nts listed as'dhnormal occur-i < 3 I . *rences et.ich were tcported to' tho ,5 i At7nic En~ry Commission. This Irn.f ' A., {, g., j -,^ * .'.. *,, ^

• LM b

[,

• . 's

. ) pbrs a hazarJaus condition.' ' * ,4 el observe these towers daily and it's., e + mm\\ = 1, 0 " 14

• ]

-?"]. .'( O. - ? ~ inthestmg to note that miniicurrentsJ W; i diret ting the white vapor from these - - (.* ^ towers flows toward the east-and. " ' l y 4 sg ! f, northeast 75 per cent of the time. If' g... ,, the ', J P. there were nny danger froni this va-y por,11arnsburg and Middletoonsuuht '..,4 g -, lj ~ OKI.AllOM4 CITY (UPI)- fan off a road a Iew mdes fsdm, spokesman Jan Stra>ma'said greater confidence 'in Keir McGee ptant (*, be the heaviest recipients.* ' The Atomic. Energy Com e thc Crescent.Okla. plant.. f at a prensconfereng, It is not my intemton to frig.. ten: misstaa said Mo nda y ** The ' ALC said mierwews He said no firm ewdep. e was [le wid he spent severaI, p, 4. 'Incal citizens unnecessarily. ' lio+ plutonium was dehberatcly with

• plant pcrsonnel and. found to mdicate how gr by ' hours
• discussmg the report
• added to the contaminatiog numcrous recorJs kept Ly she whom s the plutonium was with Keir-McGee of fctals t Ii
• ever, there' are some questions that

.-? tests of KerrMcGee Nuclear; plant showed Mu Likoood'st added. htonday and tbey h,ad ruled out, j v.. beg to be so{wered Keppler. AFC the ponihility that plutomum ' a i [ Plant employe ICarta $dknood. contamin.ition on Nov.5,5 and' \\ J ames ?

• 1.' thy hJve the firmers of EtterM

. to' make et ' appear she was 'J"probably did not rciutt'from,reaional directar. from! Glen, was stokn fiom ttie plant fory ..' ka!!cy beca inforpied that pairy cose.. '

• 'edl be required to have periodic tosts' ",

highly contamu.ateJ/. '

• an accident or mcident within,Lilyn. til., said the AEC woulJ. use in makmg bombs..

.g

• *' / review the regulath.cs phich ( htess.Sdkwuos.*a apartment. i i

lh' AEC 82'd the plutonium,de Pb843 P . was added to two ' urine sam. -The report said Min Sdk-, prohibit taking plutonium from was. shared by anothe.r; plant 4 s *

• in~ relctionship to these tcwers? (The ' !

P [k.. fa'r'ms do not receive their saterfrom - wond ingcated some plutonium.' a nut tear, plant and Kerr, employec. Sherry Elho - I , Pg,,,gg, g, sagppg,,,,, 'abNt hov 7.but her tody and

• htcGec Would renef 2 als lhe repoit sa4 the'higliestF

, e.,the river so we assume the tests are : * ( ,made and beloie the tests were' fa,r radiation >If so,thenthe tests mu'.t *f

• 3, f,'.7hc g,;,j,,,,,(c;wJ hs.* tinucs containcJ im than hafI. proceduret. ' 's.

. concentrati.ms of plutonium isp*4 .the m asitt um pcimissible c "1he reguLtion needs to t>e the ap;irtment.were fourd on a - phe for atmG:phe,ric contaminatica) ^' 3

• ' stren;;tt.cntd m this reprJ."; foilet seat and,on a padage of w O.,Whf ig.Pennsylvama taking the q.*4 f (mdings in, an ir.vestst.ition of lifGit *.*

5 2 f the. > t.clognr anJ cheese inpfrigerator it said Mm Elbs }T J. ' '.the 23 year-old lab teshnician's ** "I d'*1 @^A.there". Any *. -he saids, Keppler said'ihe ALC puld , %d 4 r.r.

• C n, -'/4 %*,,,e.,e

)

i. cent.imination, dmotered'an. question thatl there's; same also contammated in,

q ^, ", - T T. n = S was killcq Nov.13 when ber tar.tgivance. ansol ed.1 AEC { try to drkrmme mhat co61d bedon, to eviJence. there was t on. - was ' an autopsy on her I,ody' She i } ' * *Y A s h - k'. y., o '*.i !.*: !! p, g

• • . 'e "

' S CIENCC -r

• -^

~ cooled basin, carmters cuntamins the wastes would be stored c!me together in - - 'Can Nuclear Waste Be Stored? $$$"!5EE t e neers to renove heat and proude a radi.

• Between now and the year 2000. U.S.

remam after reprtxesung would he con. ation shalJ. A scermd aheme wouhl nudear power pt.nts are cipect. verted mto a solid form for ultimate locate the cannters of sohd wastes ed to produce about $0 rmthon galbm of dnposal. a shielded vault and coni them umply m 4 ' bghly dangerous radmative waste such nudcar graveyards must be sta-by natural air currents. And under the j prmiucts. Because suth leth.d compo. ble. _nd secure because the stored sohd chard concept, tenned "the spile> of the 'nonts of the were as plutoruum-2 39, wastes wdl std! contam a certam amount giants' by nuclear consuitant Halph [ sarontium40 and tesmm-Ir retam their of pluromum, w hich remams radmactne Lapp, the canisters would be pfaced in radmttivity for hundreds and thou-for millennia. Four years ago, the AEC 15 foot-tall concrete contamers in the sands of years, a perm. ment method of thought it had the problem luked. The open, producing cane tsbicans remi-un!ating Ll=m fmm the environment is agency was planning to depout the solid ms&nt of Stonehenge. 'an absolnte necesury. But even as the wa.res m perrnanentir scaled stainless-Whner method is choscu wdl he wastes pile up, the problem seems eser steel ennuters 1.000 feet doun an un-(mtly to adn nhter. The AEC estimates . more maddenmgfy insoluble. Thirty usej salt rmne near Lyons.1:ans, ne that develapnwnt and rnomtonne of the years of research by the Atomic Energy mine was chosen because salt depouts setup wt:1 cost between 52.3 and $3 bl. ' Commission have f a.!ed to produce a are among the most stable geolooc lion oser the nest quarter century. But foolpronf, bn(term means of gettung nd strata known t2 man. But when a pubhc in the meantime, sass RKhard Goran-of the nucle r g4rbage. Now, the acency outcry was follown! by a mystenous loss son of the scends Rxhland operatum n propoung a partial solutaan . to the problem that is m et-5 o Sm in Washmcton State, the RSSF would "gne the comminion decades to feet; a delning.actaun. It i !A jorary s 1 hundscds of years to determine an idti-plans to hmid a trmfauhty l-L u-k q mate disposal mode? waste managcment Visions: Cntics of these approa hn that wdl kid thc hot tmdear M_S ~ % j_. f susp.s t that the ultimate solutum may residues for a few years-or k take hundrei of years to emente. vnne perhaps a few decades-em-g t.1 J of tlem esen hmt that the AEC is re-td the esports hopefu:!y can f t 'q '- I. laung its etforts to find a permanent i come tip with an appropriate (b AEC wd: Mid a pubbe h'g !.'I-means of dnposal. The enuronmental. . f means of permanent dnposah ( ,g hnpant statement. savs Lash, "gnes no This utek in Washmston, l 8 i heaifog on its proposal. The - I reassuranm that there wdl eser be a way of pergtually stonna these wastn agency ernuums temporarv I} away from the envimnment? a lie may be right. Transmutatnn of storage of wastes corntrted (j' jf the radmaatne elements to less bannful ha sohd fortn above or Just A} forms, for esarriple, is ses n as tes hriicaib b.wath the carth's surface. 4 hopebs for a number of decades. One . Not surprnuudy, the proposal ~ \\ by rm ket to the sim appears esen more i has aftsel a barrage of sisionary proposal to transport the wastes entici m from opponcnts of y" unhkely; laurnhine a fu ye2ts' worth of malrar pow er, who argue sold waste, toge ther u 2th the shield. that the phdowphy of wait- \\ 1 ' *[ ' ing to preent ledat:e m case of. an ing and bpirig for a perma. aborted lauruh. could ret bd! ions. An. nent sobtmn represents a kind of gbbal Russian ruu-k* other proposal. to brv the usstes in the Antarttic ice cap, is banned by meirna-lette "At the same time that we're permittirig the rap.J _ j tumal treaty-and 4L> Jubms because g g. capamum of the mnlear of the hkchh.el of glacial m.wenunts. Spent. fuel shipping ca k at nuclear reactor dn. For the present, the only power industry, permanent we doua 21 meti.od wuh any premne seems kr ow whether the runlear asste proh-of 171000 g dk,ns of water from a near-to bunal m salt beds-despite the es-tem is soluble ' sass Terry 1 nh. a stat! by workmg salt mme-thus castine doubt penence at I.nms. Recent!y the agency sch'httst With the Natural Resourtes LT-On the area s senmic 5fJhthry-the AEC proposed a pdot scheme to msesticite ferne Camcd. In fact, a number of ad. dropped tts ph n for this site, which was the use of unmmed salt beds startunt in vocates of nuc! car power regard the to hee been the huning ground far all IMO, by whah tune the H.s5F would problem with almost as muth alarm as comrnercial wave untd the tear Mk be operaht. Sleanwhde madear espeirs the enuronmentalats. "Was*e dnposal? Smce then, the act ncy has failed to hke Ralpn Lapp thm - that the ai;encv e L sani one Adminnnation otficial but come up with a smtable alternarne site should opt for salt disposal imn.eshatelv, j week, "may be the Achdies* heel of the or u,ethod. But under pressure to take and forco tLe egensne and potential. whole nudcar pmatram? wmc actum to deal wnh the problem. lv hanrdous mtenm >torage. l Graveyard: At present, used fuel rods the cc nmisuon has broucht fonh its plan Es en if the RSSF is bs pass.d. the es. I from nudcar reactors are placed in stam-fer a 'retnevable surface storace tacthey* pert. ad:mt that the gron mg pdr of nu. less steel " spent 4uel casis" and then (RSSF) that would perrrat intenm stor. dear wastes udl require a manmum of stnred undercround in large concrete. age of the radinas tne wates untd a hnal moutoring as they make their way frorn hned pools of water at the reactor sites. solution is found. Accordmg to a draft reactors to their erneyard, whereser it The capacity for this type of storage is enurunmental-impact statement that u dt may be. Some foresce the eventual need plamly limited, however, and in tame the be docuued at this ucek's heannit. the for a kmd of technolecical pnnehnut-AF.C hopes that the spent rods may te agency is considenng three apptcaches an etite mternata nal n.rps of ph> sectors treated at reprocesung plants. Thert, to the RSSF, w hich would be located on and enemeers % ho u dl %tth over the most of the uramum and plutamum in AEC prcperty m Washmeton State, uastes m much ti.e same wn that enbal the rods wrndd be recosered for future Idaho ur.\\cs ada. chwit.uns et old guarded thcir people's use as fuel in reactors. The wastes that In one concept, termed the water. totems and tabmans. Newsweek, %esember'IS,197 & a

• P-

^r -d 'A.'s " - - ^- ~ = . - r-e / 17 ]M,C []M n-r' L,_ b t a.s gi " ink u L:= t P:i 2 fq O lb d [F req rrns i [ - i as l< i l i ti is the United States pluaged into a monster? l 1 i i aY wLSON CLARK lNDIAN POINT, NEW YORK has a { t ._w l \\ l Te < rather dubious dntinction. Located (( just 25 mdes north of Wnhattan on i-y the liudson River, it is the site of j (4i three mammoth noclear power '\\ I 1. - g \\ plants. Bo.it by Consolidated Edison -t to help solve the Empire City's awe-u .M some energy needs. the plants have. j h.R instead. been a constant source of V'? trouble. Indian Point I has functioned less N than half the tune since it began op- .j ,erating in 1962. and it may now le ,6 shut down for good. Indian Point 11. af ter several initial setbacks, was 'j finally beenwd by the 4tonut Euerev .j Commision (AEC) in the fall of 1973. i t.f x Seven weeks later, however. it was 1, J I ~_ forced to close dowTi when the hner 'j of its reactor dome - designed to contain radica(1svity in the event of 7 i an accident - buckled. Earlier.

r o$cials had touted that the dome could with3tand the crash of a B-52 P

bomter. Indian Point 111 has not ex-l' d perienced similar problems - it is e stdl under constniction. ~." Con Ed is not the only utihty to [) have ddficulties with nuclear power. It Scre are now about 50 other nucicar gle power plants in operation across the i cmmtry and many of them hase been 7' b troublesome. too Yet despite senous f* i i b i ; safety and technical questions. the ~** 1.'nited States appears committed to a I' growing reliante on nuclear finion as 1 a key energv wurce. P,v 1%5. accord. O ing 'to the Federal Energy Admims-tration (FEA), close to 200 plants wn! .s - h.; be generating about 30 percent of the nation's electricitv. Increasingly, the wisdom of this j policy is hemg sharply challenced by t y - entics rancmc from crusader Ralph (, Nader to physicist Theodore Tastor. G,', in several states, lecalation has been introduced to impose a moratorium e t, I on further construction of nuclear 1 plants. The whole question is, of T h We j course, enonnousiv complex. But as 4 y. s' o

i T-py -ire.f ~ g s -- -~ .s a,,,e 9. a g y.., g ; v e W..* !. -- f ' s e .. d 1 f e. .i l ,l 6 9 Nader put it not long ago, nuclear energv.. But the prir.e that we de- $500 mdhon of insurance coverage, i energy is "a survival issue" and thus it mand of society for this magical borne by the federJ government, for J is one the American public can ill energy source is both a vigdance and any nuclear power plant accident. . adord to ignore. a longevitv of our social institutions Before the act was passed. the jomt .s Nuclear fission occurs when the that we are quite unaccustomed to? Committee on Atomic Energy of the atoms of an element - in this case The central issue in thn " Faustian Congress asked the AEC to provide uranium - are spht by tmy particles bargam" is radioactivity. In large an assessment of the possibilities of called neutrons. In a power plant, amounts, it kdts. Io small doses it can nuclear accidents and what the harm thousands of pencd-thin rods of ura-came cancer and genetic mutations. to the environment and human health nium arc arranced mude a nuclear re. Two AEC researchers. jshn Gof-might be. The result was the actor so that a controlled " tham reac-man and Arthur Tamplin of the Law-Brookhaven fleport. named for an y tion" takes place. Capable of gener-rente Livermore Laboratory in Cah-AEC facihty on Long Island New .j ating one million kdowatts (1,000 famia, reported back in 1969 that "if York. The. report conduded that a megawatts) of electncity, a modern the average esposure of the 1.'.S. pop-200 megawau power plant - about nuclear power plant contams about ulation were to rear.h the federally set one.6fth the site of those beme budt 100 tons of uramum fuel imide a steel radwtion expmure standard cf.17 rad today - located 30 miles from a ma-reactor vessel with half foot thick (a measurement of radutww per year jor city, micht sustain an accident

• 4 walls. Insde this reactor, water is cir-average, there would, in time, he an that could kill 3E0 people. It could
• g culated to absorb the tremendous excess cf 32.000 cases of fatal cancer injure another 43.000 and create up i'

heat given o1 by the fission process. plus leukemia per year. and this to $7 billion m property damages. In ^ 0 Steam,in turn, from the heated water would occur year after year " ubt addition, radioactisity could con-propels elettncal turbme generators. concerned the two researthers was taminate up to 150,000 qwre mdes. In additwn to producmg encrcy. the possibihty that nuclear power When the Price-Anderson Act nuclear power plants also release would create a serious hazard, if came up for renewal by Congress in small amounts of radation into the plants were allowed to release the 1965. the AFrs Brookhaven person-surroundme air and water, and they mammum amount of radiation per-nel updated their ong;nal studv. w introduce heat into the rivers that mitted by federal health standards. Strangely enough. howeser, the re-provide water for cooline Stost sig-The AEC flatly denied the chartes. sidts of the latest study - indicatinc nificantly of all, thev accumulate Both men were threatened with the sigmEcantly higher risks than those of ' large amount, of radioactive waste loss of their jobs and Dr. Tamplin's the original study - were not re-materials as uranmm is usPd isp in the entire stad was reassi:ned to other, leased untd last sear. long after Con-Gssion process. Stany of these wastes less controversul work. Soim after, cress had renewed the Pnce-Anderson wdl remain lethal for thousarals of haweser, under pressure froin a nuin-Act without significant debate. Today, years. These reahties led physicist and ber of sci-ntists and from the Nation-it is impossible to get insurance i o J Nobel 1. aureate Dr. Ilannes Alfsen to al Academy of Sciences itself. the against a nuclear plant accident, ]'- comment: " Fission energy is safe only AEC backed down. It lowered its beyond what the federal government j ' if a number of critical devices work radiation relea e standards for nuclear

• ,j as they should. if a number of people plants to one-hundredth of their for-

. ~~ ' n key poutions follow all their m-mer value. i struct' ions, if there is no sabotage, no Far more controverstal than the -?_ ( ( '~ hijackmg of the transports. _', No normal release of radiation, however. 'l l '.3' acts of God can be permitted " is the question of a nuclear mishap. -.Y ., p. f i To that pomt. Dr. Alvm Weinberg ne precise thances nf a large-scale

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'I- ,l of the Federal Energy Admimstration. accident at a nuclear plant have nev- !l r L-and former ducctor of the AEC's Oak er been satisfactonly gauged. Because t* i 'y-=j.j i Ridge National Laboratory, adds: of this, private msurance compames "We nuclear people have made a were reluctant to offer coverace for N___ j p H j ', W AJ[L Faustian bargain with society. On the miclear plants dunng the 1930s. As a t. b J113 h lime - one hand we offer - in the catalytic result. Congress passed the Price-An-.- i i bumer - an inexhaustible source of derson Act, which provides up to ' i .~ ,35 ' ei / 4 s N

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'.i;&. L.t *,.,: nj ,."*. s:f,*VW W ~ ~,. rei.acitfr. homever. h__., %*l I Since World War ti,17 eams mave Deen hs hgure mas cec' eased i f,* s l,, recorced at tne AEC s Hanford racMy e e.ecent mores $7Do's N_.g,y Wasrkngton. seere raccactee nuc ear do not re*ec' prec se .,,,.-9 -g ( ;,.. nas:es a o s:ored in en-sa. ion :anas power piani ocarons nu E offers. Homeowner insurance policies nur. lear safety study. He Rasmussen weapon production and nuclear pow-usued in the U.S., in fat, contam a study, he said, was not independent, er plants are stored by the AEC at " nuclear accident esclusion" clause. because "it is really still part of the special facihties. De particularly dis. To anas the question oser nuclear AECT concerting "high-level ~ wastes are safety once and for all. the AEC in large part, the safety debate has stored in carbon steel tanks in liquid spon ored a $3 mdlion ufety study at focused on the poss.bility of an form, where they boil comtantly. the Niasuchusetts Institute of Teth- " emergency core-coohng syste m These wastes are so corrosive that nology, under the direction of Dr. tECCSi accident. Nuclear reactors some tanks on AEC reservations have Norman Rasmussen. Released last must constantiv be supplied with sprung leaks. To date, in fact.17 year, the study found that the thana s coohng water to prevent meltdown of leaks have been recorded at the of a nuticar power plant acident the mtemelv hot radioactive fuel. A AEC's llanford facihty m Rahland, kiihng as many as 1,000 peopic would meltdown could result in the retene Washington, alone. The wont of be alnut as I kelv as a meteor sinking of radioativity from the reator core these took place in the spring of earth anel kiihne that many people at into the environment. Theoreticallv. 197J, when a tank leak went unde-one time. A m.nor accident cauung as if a pipe breaks - causing a break-teeted for two months, and 115Jnio many as 1300 fatshties, the studs down m the flow of coohng water to gallons of high level nuclear wastes wrnindcd, has the probabihty of oc. the reattor - additioiial emergency esc aped. curring only oine in a bdhon scar water pipes would immedutely sup-Four years a:;o the AEC thooeht it Predatably, reattmn to the Ras-piv water to the hot f uel rods. had found the solution when a an-mtmen report he lieen qmte mned. Whether or not the ECCS would ac-nounced that the high-level wastes l do not detect anv slantmg of the tually work in an aulent, however, would be collected. sohdihed and per-data to rnimmue the nurnbers in. . is widelv dnputed. manently buried in an abandoned salt volved m the comeqncnce estunates." mine near the small town of Lyons, A long,long Ume Kansa. Further studies showed how-remarked phnitnt Ralph Lapp, a sametime conudtant to the electnc As unsetthng as the accident ques-ever, that the salt idea was unsuitable. mwer industry. Sharpiv diugreeing, tion might be. it pales somew hat leaving the problem unsolved. vever, was a group of rmelear ew when compared with the mm4 bog-Senator Frank Church of Idaho has perts, ne Umon of Lanterned Scien-chng figures asweiated with waste one simple esplanation for the luk of tists hey found, after "chetkmg~ dispoul. Accordmq to former AEC progress on waste dispmal. In the the fWures in the Rasmunen studv. comimssioner Wdham Anders. ne AEC's nnt 25 years. Chunh ses, it that the most sesere acident uguld, good news is that reator waste pro-spent bdlions to develop the produc-in fact. Ldl M000 people and result duttion represents a small yearly vol-tion side of the nucle.w industry, but in 90.000 aute illnewes. nme, about 90 cubic feet when m sol-a mere $50 million on waste dnposal. Wuham Bryan of the National In-id form. This represents the volume This year, the agency plans to spend stitute for Apphed Research aho of 4 Ins about four andone-half feet about 529.5 mdhon for waste man-i questioned the results of the report. on a side and is m contrast to the 25 agement, still less than eicht percent in a statement to Cahformis state tons a dav of tly ash and 250 tons a of the total funds budgeted for ciul-energv pohtv comnuttee last year. he day of sulfur from a sumlar coal-6 red tan reactor research. said that the " fault tree analysis" plant. He had news is that this high-nese high-level wastes ongmate techmques used in the Rummsen ly radioactive matenal has to be frnm U 233, a rare form of uramum i study were prone to sub ettive mamp-taken care of for a very long time. It fuel used m the current generation of i ulation bv the researchers. "They wdl require up to seseral hundred nudear reators. It is quickly becom-didn't Gmsh the analy on," Bryan com-years for more than 99 percent of the ing depleted in the U.S. According to mented, "so all vou can tell from the nudear waste to decay to acceptable the U.S. Geolognal Survey, recov-i bits and pieces that they started on is lesels. Some wdl reqmre 2tR000 etable uramum resources amount to that they thanged fadure rate data vears to decav. Considering that ainut 273.000 tom, whith w dt supply bees several tun-s le ause they were Neandenhal man roamed this planet the nudear industry only untd the not gettmq high enough numben? only 73 000 scars ago, that is a long early 1980s. After that. the U.S. might Brvan's adsae to the Cahforma tune to gnard somethme so deadiv. 6nd itself bargainmg for high-pnced legislators. imist on an mdependent Presently, wastes from nuclear foreign uramum. 36 _ m __._. / o 1,>

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\\ g.' - s mc !c - a I i QtC[tj .y5 I in. L .\\ /,. ? . l.0"&% g eWYk'N hnide the pressortaed aa'e' <eac:or or a Suut ty Commonweaitn E sort me aaton s 1 i maar pam. wws anaqe aravn Nei trst wsca e ma ey sea.ces sc: ear tres Eacn 9 OCC-megama* p ant corta.es co*er pant Dey coerateg a 1960.50 g aoovt 100 lors of uramom Nei rues soumwesi of Crucago at Morrs. twos To many nntlear pnwer advocates. well A maior part of the waste prob. reNbihty record of nuclear plants to the arnwer to the uranmm shortace is lem. plutomum n currently being date. A recent %Il Strrer foumal ar-the doelopment of tbc h9nd metal produced m U.S. nuclear reactors. ticle referred to them as " Atomic fet breeder reactor <LAIFBH), an ad-And the theft of rmt a few ountes of Lemons." In the past year, the aser-vanced reactor that wd1 produce this highlv dangrous matenal. even age capacity factor of the plants bs 14rce amounts of a in-w. man-made without being made mto a bomb. r.nged between 30 and 60 percent mic! car fuel talled plutomum. In con-could be med to threaten the sn-and. although part of this is attnbut-juration with the nuclear mdustrv. Lhtants of any large bmidme able to stronger AEC safety codes, the AEC is now plannmg to laid 4 Although the ALC recently took the figure contmues to dechne rather demonstration breeder reactor near measures to tehten secunty, that may than improve. Large coal.burnmg Oak indge, Tennessee. not be enough to present theft. "In p.ower plants. too bse proven unre. Some wientnts fear the LNIFBit the presence of nuclear blackmad hable. But they are much less es-will breed more serme problems threats.~ the Ltural Resuurte De-pensve to budd - and they are safer. than it wdi solse. For one thme it feme Couned warned. "the untitution What does it all aJd up to? A b!cak wdl be loaded with thouunds of of martial law seems mentable." pounds of plutonium, whuh Ls been future, perhaps, for nuclear power. called the mmt lethal ponon eser Poor reliability record What is needed now is an expanded public dew!e on the subiett. f'or 25 prediced. Accordmg to Profewor J B Became of these immeme prob-years, about three. fourths of the Nedands ot the Umvemtv of Cahfor. lems and became of the newnew of countrv's energy research Ludget has nia at BerLetey, there are "20 mdbon the technolvev itself. nuclear power been devoted almost eschmvely to mortal dmes in a weight of the ete-has not deseloped as qmdiv as the nuclear power. Other promisme ment eqmvalent to the weicht of an AFC had oneinally predated. Ac-sources, bke solar energv are just be-American fac-tent piecef Pluto-cording to the FEA the 30 percent spnning to receive senous attenton. nmm-239 has a blf-hfe.the time re-fcure now enen bv the AEC as the To economist Allen Kneese, the h-qmred for half of the element to decav) of over 2t000 years. That amount of elettncttv mulcar power sues surroundmg the development wdl mpply tw 1955 "is much lower and future use ut nuclear power are makes it an ev.enti.div permanent en. than many other estimates." In part. estremely clearwut: "We are speak. vironmental bzard. the FEA uvt "the expenence of the ing of hazards which mav a%ct hu. An equallv dnturbing thought is last few sean of delavs m getting nu-the pmubhty that a portmn of nu(Ic. mamtv many generations hence and ar fuel might somehow be diverted (lear plants mto commerual oper-questions which cannot be esaluated ation makes it very unhkely that nu-and then labncated mto terrornt dear power tan merene anv faster? on any known theoretical or empiri-cal basis. Tbs means that technnal hombs. A leadmg specialid m the At the same time, enonnous cost people.. cannot lectimatelv make field. Dr. Theodore Taylor, sass that over-rum on the Oak Rid:e breeder the decision to :enerate such hazards I the utuation is entical smce the reactor demomtration plant bse led based on techmcal.anab sis. Society "knowled:e. matenals and fanhties to mtense Congressional entienm. confronts a moral problem of a great I required to make nuclear cylusnes whwh mav result m a delav. or esen profundity - in mv opmion one of . are dntnhuted worldwidef end. to the breeder procram. the most con 3cquential that bas ever an i Already. India b5 esploded an \\lountmg espemes m construction faced mankird For thn reason. atomic bomb made from the malcar hase also prompted the FEA to take thtring the short interval ahead whi!c by-products of a nuticar power plant, a mswh harder 'ook at coal as an al-denendence on fission energy could ) and many other countnes. incinding terna.. to nuclear sources. Recentiv, st.tl be kept withm bounds. I beheve Israel, may now have nutlear capain-comtruction of a er 90 nutlear plants the Congress should make an open i ) lity. W th the prohferation of " peace-was postponed indeEmtelv. So far. ac-and esphat dension about this Faus-i ful" mulcar power plants. the world cordmg to the Ntional Economic Re-tian bargain." E may soon find itself confronted with search Toottates, more than 40 per-the Damosles' sword of widespread cent of the sheduled 1%3 nuclear An enrironmental consultant in nudcar weaponry - not tmt bv p-plant capantv m the U S has either Washmten. D C., Wilmn Cark is the ernments, but by terronses who have been delased or cancelled. author of Energy for Suruval(Anchor stolen plutonnun or other materials as Addmq to the problem a the poor frns/Douhlalay.19M. 37 i e-

-s -. -,....v.- I291NO3L@il.0LN.da ~ s The Silkwood Mystery At 7 30 in the esening of Nov.13. a I white lionda automobde swersed orf Oklahoma sute highway 74 and crashed e 3 i into a concrete cubert wa!!. kalhng Ka. ren G. Sdkwood. 28. its sole occupant. Silkwood's death had a far greater im-j pact thart most highway fatalites. It brought to hght a bizarre mysterv that has touched offa senes ofins estigations It also resulted last week in a special Atomic Energy Commission report about Sdkwood and her centamination by oce of the most dargerous substanc. es known to man-plutoruum. Karen Sdkwood was a $4-an $ cur ~~** p = a n ej.;

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\\ A-m.../ L1 4. PLUTCNRiM w0eXte EattN SEEWOoD Was she trivedered? echnician at Kerr McGee Corp *s Ca. narron Rher plutomum riant about 30 ndes north of Oklahoma City. The fa-

thty makes plutoinum pcHet fuel rods

'or the breeder rea.: tor. a second-gan. Tatson nudcar power plint now bein ts feveloped. Sdkwoni w as one of t be most 'I wtne members or kxal 5-283 of the Od. -.hemical and Atomic Workers (inson ihe was deeply ceneerned about how g slutantum was hanJ!cJ. And with gond eason. Inhalation or swadowing of a tw specks of the radioactive efemect lan result in cancer. Enosure to st.gnt-i y greater quantities can cause radiation ickness and death Furthe.more, an amount of plutonsum about the site of a oftball is enough to make an atom ~ 30m b. Though Kerr-McGee instaued safe-guards to protect its empf03ees from the uzards ofplutomum.Silkwcod w as cnt. .i

cal of the plant's health and safety pro-cdures Last September, m testimony before the 4tc. she comf anned aNNt l

unsafe workmg conditions. In early No- / s a .g.

I 7- ~. INV!IONM!NT si) vember,she became living proof of those j dangers. O n two consecuuve days. as 4 Sdkwood was leaving work. sensiuse plant monitors detected that she was ^l shghtly contaminated by radicactivity. She was promptly scrubbeJ clean. Lat-i er, the brought m urine and fecal sam-1 i ples,they proseJ to be radioactise. On a j third day, the moruturs clackeJ w hen she j entered the plant. a si.,bseqaent msesu-gatien showed that her apartment had become contanunated too All the whde. Sukwood conimued to report to the umon ca safety prob. lems in the plant, clatr uns dehnne in-g stances of company slepptr. css. At the time of her death. ut fact. sne was on. her may to a meetmg with a uruon cf. ; fical and a Nev York Tvncs reporter ; to document her charges. s. Murder or Accident. Uruon oS-cials were suspicas about her fa'.at car ' - - ~ crash; they cal]ed m an independent ac. cident imestigator, A O. Pirkus of Dai-taminated after they had been excreted, las After mspecting the skid marks and L!us showed that the samp:es hat been findmg a telltale dent in one of the Hon-dcciored by someone. The evidence thus da's rear fenders, he concluded that a suggests that Likmood had pur;iosely second car haJ forecJ Sdkwood's auto contaminated herself and had probably off the roaJ-thus implying that Sdk-smugg!cd a minute amount of plutoruum swd might hase Nen murdered. Bet home from the plant. Why? Perhan the Oklahoma state h:ghway pa tral to embarrass the cempany and thus citcJ an autopsy showing that her blood strengthen the union s bargaining po. contamed traces of alcohol and meth-sinon at negotiauons late last Nosem-aqualone.which a doctor haJ present<d ber. Or perhaps $dkwood wss emo-as a sedatise. To the police. it seemed ev-tionally unbalanced. ident that she had dolcd off at the w hcci !! seems cicar that Kerr4f4ee has The iat is pursuing the matter further. not ken as ddigent as necessary in pro. Meantime,the AIClaunehed itsown lectmg its morkers from plutonium. The " I probe of wor kmg conj uoms at the plant. uruon has nonetheless been over7 calot.s The commissum s records showed that in its a41cganons of carelessness by the g smee Kerr McGee starteJ its plutoruum company. And both the AEC and its pn-operations in 1970,17 safety lapses-m sate contractors need to esercise in-m hich 73 employees were contaminated creased vigilance m guardme the pla- -had been reported. The unen pro-totuum aga:nst theft or rr%use by duced a hst of 39 aJJ tional al]egauens t;nstable or conspiratonal e m ple' vees. As of steppmess m plutomum handimg for the cause of Sdkwood's death, that Then m rmd-DecemNr. two new cases remams as mystenaus as eser. involving 6se prsons were reported to the A EC; Kerfdt$ce quickly Je-nounced them as "contnsel" Yet the / incidents were senous enough to force the company to shut the plant for more than two u ecks. Last acck the A[C Completed its insesugation. It foi.md that only three 1 of the 39 umon al'egations represented I violanons of the cornmission s stan- . dards.though another 17 had sutstance d' i or partial substance " The report ridascJ 1 Kerr McGee. but the umon was not l sausfied " E.nvironmental groups also pomted out that the AEC needed the i fuel rods and thus had a cicar mier. ~ est in keepmg Kerr McGee's plant m operauon The most stanbrig 6ndmg by the i AEC was that SlkucMJ s contamination s a "probably did not result from an ac. cident or incident thin the plant.' 11ere were plu.on.. traces on her skin thcugh no acc.Jental telease had occurred m the plant. In aJJiuon. tests showed that Sdkwood haJ "mgestcJ' plutoruum f urthermore. two urme sam- ./ plcs were proscJ to hase beeri con- / 48 -e>}}