ML19308A679
| ML19308A679 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 11/13/1979 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Brougher J AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19308A680 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 7911280175 | |
| Download: ML19308A679 (2) | |
Text
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NOV 13 Sid g
Mr. and Mrs. John F. Brougher 304 S. West Street i
P. O. Box 225' Carlisle, PA 17013
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Brougher:
Your letter to the President concerning Three Mile Island was forwarded to me by l
the Department of Energy for reply.
In your letter you expressed concern that i
the Three Mile Island Reactors will be restarted and that radioactive gases and liquids may be released from the plant. In addition, you wished to know if there are studies in progress on the conversion of the plant to coal or oil,
burning units.
With regard to Three Mile Island Unit 1, on July 2, 1979, the NRC ordered that i
Unit I remain in a cold shutdown condition until further order of the Commission and stated that a hearing would be conducted prior to any restart of the facility.
i The ilRC issued a subsequent Order and Notice of Hearing on August 9,1979. This Order and Notice of Hearing is presently in effect and it requires the licensee to maintain Three Mile Island Unit 1 in a cold shutdawn condition until further order of the Comission. This Order and flotice of Hearing also established an Atomic Safety and Licensing 30ard to' conduct a hearing and render a decision relative to the resumption of operation by Unit 1.
Prior to start of the nearings, the flRC staff will conduct a review of technical information concerning the restart of Unit 1.
As part of this review, the NRC staff will conduct meetings with the licensee in the presence of the public and the public will be given the opportunity to raise questions and to make statements. During the hearing the technical issues which are appropriate to assure the public health and safety will also be addressed.
In addition, the Hearing Board may consider the psychological impact of future operation on the nearby comunities. On the basis of this hearing, the Comission will determine whether any further operation of TMI-l will be permitted, and if so,' under what conditions.
With regard to Three fille Island Unit 2, the licensee has not yet sent to the NRC a proposal for plant recovery, although the licensee is conducting feasibility studies. We anticipate that a considerable length of time will pass before any proposals or decisions are made regarding Unit 2's recovery.
i With regard to your concern about the release of contaminated water, except for i
releases of liquids containing only low or nondetectable levels of radioactivity i
to the Susquehanna River, such releases are not currently permitted. Before such I
re eases take place, the impact will be evaluated by the NRC and the evaluation o...
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i Mr. and Mrs. John F. Brougher I that a thorough assessment is completed prior to release of the contaminated liquids and that the health and safety of the offsite population will be protected.
I As a result of releases containing only low or nondetectable levels of radio-i activitye the levels of radioactivity in' the Susquehanna are indistinguishable l
from existing background levels at public water supply intakes from the river.
These levels have been confirmed by independent measurements made by the NRC, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the ComonwealgPennsylvania.
i An example of the type of evaluation that will be perfonned is the Environmental Assessment prepared by the NRC staff concerning the use of EPICOR-II to process contaminated water from the auxiliary building. This assessment addresses only the processing of the water and not its disposal. Prior to disposal, another assessment will be prepared to evaluate the alternative disposal means. A copy of the Environmental Assessment is enclosed for your information.
We are not involved in any studies being made on the conversion of Three Mile Island to a gas or coal burning plant. Such studies would be done under the auspices of General Public Utilities or Metropolitan Edison Co. and I would suggest you contact them for infonnation on this. The NRC's primary responsibility is the assurance of the health and safety of the public during construction and i
operat.icn of nuclear power plants. Therefore, we would not nonnally be involved in such studies.
I hope that this is responsive to your concerns.
Sincerely, i
et'n31 s! ped by ii. 1. % Q Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosure:
Environmental Assessment DISTRIBUTION: (w/o encl.)
Docket File ECASE W0liu NRC PDR HBerkow JMullin Local PDR DVassallo GErtter(ED0-7532)
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Mr. and Mrs. John F. Brougher '
1 that a thorough assessment is completed prior to release of the coilt nated i
liquids and that the health and safety of the offsite population ill be protectea.
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As a result of leases containing only low or nondetectabl levels of radio-activity, the levMs of radioactivity in the Susquehanna a indistinguishable from existing background levels at public water supply ip akes from the river.
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These levels have been confirmed by )independept measureffents matie by the NRC l
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, and tWe Coninon alth of Pennsylvania.
An example of the type o evaluation that w 1 be rformed is tha Environmental i
Assessment prepared by the NRC staff concerning e use of EPICOR-II to process contaminated water from the uxiliary building. This. assessment addresses only the processing of the water a d not its dispos 1.
Prior to dispcsal, another assessment will be prepared to valuate the ternative disposal mans. A copy of the Environmental Assessment s enclos for your information, t
I We are not cognizant of any studie bei made on the conversion of Three Mile Island to a gas or coal burning plan. Such studies if being performed would probably be done under the auspices o General Public Utilities or Metropolitan Edison Co. and I would suggest you ntact them for information on this. The NRC's primary responsibility is thy'assuhnce of the health and safety of the public during construction and op ration o nuclear power plants. Therefore, we would not normally be involv in such s dies'.
i I hope that this is responsiv to your concern Sincerely, f
4 i
Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear actor Regulation
Enclosure:
Environmental sessment DISTRIBUTIOR.
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CLASSIFIED DATA
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JCAE NOTIFICATION RECOMMENDED:
O VES O NO NRCsoRM 232 EXECUTIVE DIRECTCR FOR OPERATIONS DO NOT REMOVE THIS COPY
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=,ch,F' Department of Energy Washington. D.C. 20585 ME20PANTM EUR: Chairman, Nuclear Regulatory Comission i
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Ccrrespondence Referral SEP 211979 The attached ceu espctdence has been u sdirected to this Der p t for reply. Inasrmch as it appears to fall within the purview of ycur agency, we are referring this cm munication herewith for your reply. We have infermd the wri*a_r of this acticn.
Thank you for your at'atticn.
Mr. & Mrs. John F. Brougher 304 S. West Street P.O. Box 225 Carlisle, PA 17013 Referral Date:
August 23, 1979 Referred By:
Mary Martha Seal 4
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