ML19309B693

Forwards Ak Bissell 791205 Ltr Encouraging Early Licensing of Facility & All Qualified Nuclear Plants.Requests Comments.Resolution Encl

ML19309B693
Person / Time
Site:	Sequoyah
Issue date:	12/13/1979
From:	Seal M PRESIDENT OF U.S. & EXECUTIVE OFFICES
To:	NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
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ML19309B690	List: ML19309B693
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NUDOCS 8004070077
Download: ML19309B693 (5)

Text

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LO THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE

, REFERRAL DECEMBER 13, 1979 ID: 060253

- TO: MJCIEAR REGULATORY COBEISSION REPLY: DIRECT REPLY, FURNISH INFO COPY I? A DELAY OF MORE 'IEAN 9 DAYS IS ENCOUNTERED PLEASE TELEPHONE 456-2717. BASIC CORRFSPONDENCE AND CCNTROL SHEET AND COPY OF RESBJNSE (OR DRAFT) MUST BE REWRNED TO:

AGENCY LIAISON (ROOM 94), WHITE HOUSE.

MEDIA: IEITER, DATED DECEMBER 05, 1979. j

'IO: PRESIDENT CARTER

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MAYOR OF OAK RIDGE POST OFFICE BOX 1 -

. OAK RIDGE, 7N 37830

SUBJECT:

. ENCLOSES RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING 7BE EARIX LICENSING OF 'INE SEQUOYAH NUCLFAR POWER 'l PLANT AT DAISY, 7N  !

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BY DIRDCTION OF 'INE PRESIDENT MARY MARIHA SEAL DIRFCIOR PR 013-02 CORRESPONDENCE AGENCY LIAISON i

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OAK RIDGE

• 615 /483-5671 - POST OFFICE BOX 1 OAK ROGE, TENNESSEE 37830 December 5,1979 The President W,EW,G^(

The White House 060253 Washington, D. C. 20500 DE00 81979

Dear Mr. President:

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. Enclosed with this letter is a copy of Resolution Number 14-J.46-79 as unani- -

mously adopted by th'e Oak Ridge City Council in regula~r session on December 3, 1979. While the resolution encourages early licensing of the Sequoyah Nuclear Power Plant at Daisy, Te.nnessee, its focus is to urge enhanced efforts to license all ciualified nuclear power plan _ts_.

We are aware that the pro nuclear power position of the Oak Ridge City Council is not news to you, Mr. President. Howeve r, in the face of the continuing lack of real progress toward achieving energy self-sufficiency for our country, we felt compelled to once-again offer it for your consideration. With our dependence.. _

on imported oil, the nation continues to be virtually at the mercy of the OPEC nations, and our good-will standing with a number of those nations becomes _

increasingly questionable, to say the least. We simply can no longer afford to delay taking positive action to. achieve energy self-sufficiency through use of the safest and most directly available technology.

The City of Oak Ridge is convinced that it is not alone in urging direct action to resolve any problems with the nuclear licensing process in order that we may proceed rapidly to develop this available source of energy. At the recent National League of Cities (NLC) Congress of Cities, held in Las Vegas, Nevada, November 24-28, the NLC Resolutions Committee by a vote of 52 to 3 endorsed i a policy recommending that the Federal Government should call for improve-ments in existing licensing and regulatory procedures for nuclear power plants. l This vote overturned a previous NLC Natural Resources Steering Committee l recommended policy of calling for an indefinite moratorium on the licensing of l nuclear power plants. The policy as recommended by the Resolutions Com-mittee was subsequently unanimously adopted by the full membership of the National League of Cities. It is our opinion that this action represents an overwhelming feeling that there should not be a moratorium on the licensing of nuclear power plants. To quote directly from an Oak Ridge City Council resolution presented at the NLC Conference: "The Report of the President's 1

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The Prodidant Page 2 The White House

.Wa s hing ton,~ D. C.

Commission on the Accident at Three Mile Island emphasized the soundness of

'all current nuclear reactor designs and construction, and levied criticism only--

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at'the level of utility management expertise, the regulatory process, and to the level of training required of the operators. Thus, the problems are people problems which can be corrected relatively quickly. "

In conclusion, I would'like to call to.your attention the words of Dr. Carl Walske of the Atomic Industrial Forum, as presented at the NLC Congress of Cities.and printed in News 2, a summary of events at the meeting, as follows:

"He pointed out that there have yet to be any fatalities or serious injuries associated with the generation of nuclear power; even the construction of

," nuclear plants,-he said, has resulted in fewer construction accidents than other forms of energy development. Electricity from nuclear generators is less than half the cost of electricity from oil-fired generators, he said, and the current use of nuclear generating capacity saved 1. 5 million barrels of -

oil'a day last year. Plants under construction would save another 3 million barrels a day, he said, bringing the total up to the Carter Administration's target for reducing oil consumption. " I know of few stronger arguments in support of proceeding with the licensing of nuclear power plants as expeditiously

._ as possible. ,

On behalf of the Oak Ridge-City Council, I urge you to exercise your ability for leadership in crisis, which you have so clearly demonstrated, by steering -

this country on a direct, safe course toward full utilization of its available nuclear technology. Energy self-sufficiency must be [me our highest priority.

Since ely, /

A. K. Bis ell Mayor Enclosure

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cc: Senator Howard Baker, Jr.

Senator Janies Sasser Congresswoman Marilyn Bouquard Member's of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee ^

' Members of the House Science and Technology Committee Governor Lamar Alexander Board of Directors, Tennessee Valley Authority

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3. . .

Number 12-126-79 RESOLUTION ,

WHEREAS, America's foremost economic problems are largely energy-related, originating from our dependence on im' ported oil, and

~ WHEREAS, our country has the capacity and ability to achieve energy self-sufficiency through an all-out mobilization of our mineral resources, our technology and available capital, and WHEREAS, nuclear power now accounts for nine to twelve percent of the United States' ele,ctric. generating capacity, and WHEREAS, there are 92 reactors with construction permits which

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would nearly triple present nuclear power generation capacity,I and WHEREAS, any further delay in licensing nuclear power plants, a proven energy source, at a time when we are so dependent on foreign oil would have serious consequences for the United States and its people, and WHEREAS, there exists a completed nuclear generating facility that is

. qualified in all respects to proceed, being the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant at Daisy, Tennessee, developed and built by the best engineering brainpower and technical resources of the Tennessee Valley Authority, and -

WHEREAS, the Tennessee Valley Authority officials state that this facility meets all safety requirements and recommendations pronounced by the President's Commission on Three Mile Island, and WHEREAS, failure to proceed promptly with development and utilization of nuclear energy will result in higher inflation, a weakened dollar, s talled economic growth, unemployment, and a lower standard of living, and l WHEREAS, further delay will seriously impair and further jeopardize our national security and international prestige as a world power.  :

1 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND l COUNCILMEN OF THE CITY OF OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE: l l

That licensing for the operation of the Sequoyah Nuclear Plant proceed with a minimum of delay so that the citizens of this region are not deprived I of needed electrical energy.

1. Data obtained from Nuclear Plants in the United States, Atomic Industrial Forum, Inc. , June 30, 1979

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that enhanced efforts be made to continue licensing all other qualified nuclear power plants in order for this country to move toward energy self-sufficiency by the safest and most directly available technology.

This the 3rd day of December 1979.

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• or Q. Eisshf11 Gi3Iincil an H Id Y vA~e nigan d 24a w w a x Coundf womanplizabeth J Batchelor m'

Cohncilma'n Bert M. 11y Cou WL LhIbtAS Iman John D. Bryant

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Councilman David G. Thomas MaAnts PEtml Councilman Haf ry C. Fr ke (L a 0.2, _ w Council oman Elaine J2'. Trauger 1

Councilman M. L. Gupton Couheilmp E. H. Upton cilman John C.' Holt Councilman Karl W. West APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY: ATTEST:

b. MA[O W City Attorney 7 l pity CJhrk (/ (/

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Distribution , .

1 Docket Files 50-327/328 R

EDO Reading hi5[ .a i NRR Reading NSIC TIC LWR-4 File H. Denton E. Case .

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D. Ross S. Varga Atty., ELD L. Rubenstein C. Stable M. Service G. Ertter(#08023)

M. Groff E. Hughes B. Moore ASLB

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SECY(3)(#79-3318)

H. Berkow/W. Russell D. Muller R. Mattson D. Eisenhut bec: Agency Liaison (Room 94),

White House l

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