ML19309B503
| ML19309B503 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 03/03/1980 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Staszesky F AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19309B504 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8004040218 | |
| Download: ML19309B503 (2) | |
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l pn nea uq[og UNITED STATES
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NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION g
_E WASHINGTON, D. C. 20555
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m3 0 31980 i
Mr. F. M. Staszesky, Jr.
1535 Seneca Lane San Mateo, California 94402
Dear Mr. Staszesky:
This is in reply to your letter of November 29, 1979, to President Carter, which was referred to the Nuclear Regulatory Comission by the Department of Energy on January 25, 1980.
A statement by President Carter on December 7.1979, about the Report of the President's Comission on the Accident at Three Mile Island (the Kemeny Comission) included the following:
" Finally, I would like to discuss how we manage the transition period during which the Kemeny recomendations are being impl emented. There are a number of new nuclear plants now awaiting operating licenses or construction permits.
" Licensing decisions rest with the NRC and, as the Kemeny Comission noted, it has the authority to proceed with licensing these plants on a case-by-case basis, which may be used as circumstances surrounding a plant dictate. The NRC has indicated, however, that it will pause in issuing new licenses and construction permits in order to devote its full attention to putting its house in order.
I endorse
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the approach the NRC has adopted, but I urge the NRC to complete its work as quickly as possible, and in any event no later than six months from today.
"Once we have instituted the necessary reforms to assure
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safety, we must resume the licensing process promptly so that the new plants which we need to reduce our dependence on foreign oil can be built and operated."
The Nuclear Regulatory Comission is comitted to protect the public health and safety. The Three Mile Island accident resulted in a need for changes in the approach to safety. The Nuclear Regulatory Comission has found that actions recommended by its own staff and by the President's' Comission on the Accident 1
at Three Mile Island in the areas of human factors, operational safety, emergency planning, nuclear power plant design and siting, health effects, and public information are necessary and feasible.
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At this time we are preparing for review and approval by the Nuclear Reg'ulatory Comission an Action Plan that will specify the precise actirns to be taken.
It will include 'new or improved safety objecticas, detailed criteria for their implementation, and various implementation deadlines..As soon as the Action Plan is completed and approved, the resulting regulatory requirements will be transmitted to all utilities concerned.
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Mr. F, M. Staszesky, Jr.
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!R 3 1980 It is recognized that there will be a significant effect on the availability of power generating capacity if those plants now in the final stages of construction do not receive operating licenses by the dates previously anticipated, and every effort is being made to avoid unnecessary delays.
Sincerely, i
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Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation i
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