ML19296B202
| ML19296B202 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Skagit |
| Issue date: | 01/28/1980 |
| From: | Gossick L NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Swift A HOUSE OF REP. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8002200252 | |
| Download: ML19296B202 (2) | |
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 5 ^ \\f C
WASHINGTON D. C. 20555
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i Docket Nos. 50-522 50-523 The Honorable Al Swift United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515
Dear Congressman Swift:
Thank you for your letter of November 7,1979 to then Chairman Hendrie concern-ing your constitutents' requests to have Dr. John Whetten and Dr. Fred Pessel, consultants to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), made available as witnesses in the geology-seismology hearings relating to the proposed Skagit Nuclear Power Project.
Since the Commissioners may have to review the record and the decision in this proceeding, it would be inappropriate for the Chainnan or any one of the Commissioners to reoly to your letter. Accordingly, this matter has been referred to me for reply.
As a result of the development of new information by the USGS in its con-tinuing review of the geology and seismology of the site of the proposed Skagit' facility and the need for the NRC Staff and the other parties to assess that information, evidentiary hearings relating to those matters have been indefinitely postponed. When these hearings are held, all USGS and NRC Staff personnel who participated as members of the Skagit review team will be made available as witnesses to describe the nature of their participation in the review and to present their findings and conclusions. At the present time, NRC direct evidence on Skagit geologic-seismic issues will be presented by a panel of witnesses consisting of six NRC Staff members and their consult-ants and six USGS witnesses. The USGS witnesses will defend the evaluations and conclusions set forth in the USGS Reports pertaining to the Skagit Nuclear Power Project.
Neither Dr. John Whetten nor Dr. Fred Pessel were members of the USGS review team on the proposed Skagit project. Accordingly, neither will be offered as a witness to support the conclusions set forth in the USGS Reports.
However, Dr. Whetten has played an important role in the Skagit review effort as a consultant to the USGS primarily because of his geologic mapping in the Skagit area. For this reason, the NRC Staff plans to make him avail-able as a witness to testify as to the nature of his geological work and his findings. Dr. Pessel, on the other hand, has not participated significantly in the review.
It is true, however, that Dr. Pessel has conducted geological studies in the area of consideration and that his views, like those of other geologists that have studied the area, have been solicited by the USGS reviewers in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the geology of the Skagit area. The NRC Staff does not plan to call him as a witness because his testimony would either not be material to the ultimate safety 8002200 E 5 ~7
Honorable Al Swift considerations of the Skagit facility or would be cumulative of the testimony of other NRC Staff or USGS witnesses. To the extent that Dr. Pessel's investigations or views of the geology of the area need to be explored, the NRC/USGS witnesses will be able to explain how they have been factored into the Skagit geology review.
It should also be noted, however, that an inter
- venor in the Skagit proceeding, SCANP, has requested the testimony of 22 geoscientists who have evaluated the geology of the Pacific Northwest.
While at least eight of these geoscientists will be offered as witnesses by the NRC Staff because of their participation in the Skagit review, a deter-mination has not been made by the Licensing Board regarding the necessity to have the testimony of the other experts requested by SCANP. SCANP, however, remains free to offer the testimony of any expert it desires to support its position with respect to the geology of the Skagit area.
In conclusion, we believe that the witnesses who will testify on behalf of the NRC Staff and the USGS will present a complete and comprehensive evalua-tion of the geologic-seismic considerations that contribute to the detemi-nation of the ultimate safety design of the Skagit Nuclear Power Project.
Pending completion of the Skagit geologic 'eview, additional experts may be offered by the NRC if it is detemined that their testimony can make a material and relevant contribution to the record.
Sincerely.
Orfeien! siened by n. G. Srnith
/ Lee V. Gossick Executive Director for Operations
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