ML19318C803

Discusses Status of Actions Re Cleanup Activities,In Response to Concerning Proposed Kr-85 Release

ML19318C803
Person / Time
Site:	Crane
Issue date:	06/04/1980
From:	Ahearne J NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
To:	Erin Kennedy SENATE
Shared Package
ML19318C804	List: ML19318C803 ML19318C815 ML19318C822
References
NUDOCS 8007020303
Download: ML19318C803 (2)

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UNITED STATES C0F.Espo,nnj,;

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_..q:1 ~ F Uune 4, 1980

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CHAIRMAN

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-v The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy United States Senate c.

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Dear 3enaio'r Kennedy:

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This is iii. response ~ do your~ietter of !! arch 27, 1980 concerni.ng the possible release of krypton-85 (Kr-85) from the Three flile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2)

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. reactor building.

Your letter also recomended the formation of an indepen-dent panel of scientists selected by TMI-2 area residents.

The Comission shares your concern about the possible effects of such a J

release on the physical and mental well-being of the people in the imediate vicinity of the reactor.

Because of similar earlier concerns, we issued a policy statement to consider the entire decontamination program at TMI-2..A copy of this November statement is provided as Enclosure 1.

.As part of the overall decontamination program, the Commission now has under consideration the decision on how best to remove the Kr-85 contained in the TMI-2 containment atmosphere.

In March of this year the NRC staff issued for public comment a draft environmental assessment which addressed five alternative methods for removing the Kr-85.

One method would vent the contain-ment building atmosphere, including the Kr-85, directly to the outsidd air.

This is the method which the NRC staff concluded in its draft environmental assessment should be selected.

The other four methods would involve processing the containment atmosphere before release and capturing the Kr-85 for storage and disposal.

In response to the solicitation for public coment which ended on May 16, the NRC received more than 700 submittals which the staff has now sumarized and analyzed.

In addition to this public input, several other activities have added to the information to be considered.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory has briefed us on their re-examination of the feasibility of the use of the selective absorption process at TMI-2. The NRC's Office of Policy Evaluation contracted with Science Applications, Inc. for an independent assessment of the selective absorption process in comparison with the venting alternative.

Also we have received information concerni.ng the feasibility of the selective absorption process from the staff of the House Comittee on Science and Tech-nology.

We have also received through Pennsylvania Governor Richard Thornburgh a report by the Union of Concerned Scientists offering for consideration two additional venting alternatives. The National Council on. Radiation Protection and Measurements has also given us the comments it provided to the Governor.

As required by our Hovember 1979 policy statement, the Council on Environmental Quality provided us with its views on the venting proposal.

Finally, by letter dated May 16 Governor Thornbu.rgh provided us his views (Enclosure 2).

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reaching our decision we will give all of these vi.ews full consideration.

t THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS 8007026303:

POOR QUAUTY PAGES

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t;ij-1 ~ ~p' The' Honorable Edward M. Kennedy._~ L. 52.',

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.The NRC staff's final assessment based on all relevant documents received is >.

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'.+ now completed and before the Comission (Enclosure 3). The Comission expects --

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remove the Kr-85 from the THI-2 containment atmosphere.

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....'In.' an' effort to' ensure input. from the people of the Susquehanna Valley'into s

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the NRC' decision-making about the overall cleanup process, the NRC staff and individual Comissio~n'e'rs have met with comunity groups and with government

+.... officials.. We have also held formal Comission meetings tn receive citizen

2. b.L... -input on' the removal. of the Kr-85 from the TMI-2 cont'ainment buildi.ng.

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.M On May.15,E-1980,. the House-Comittee on Interior and Insular Affairs reported

' J.S.i..'.I ~on the NRC'.s FY.19BT Author:ization. legislation. As part of,their action, the 9Eit?. 'ComitteeTncluded Wpro' vision shichlwould establish a Thr'ee Mile Island c-

' Advisory Panel *to consult with and mak~ 'recomendations to the Commission on r

e matters relating to the decontamination of the Three Mile Island reactor."

Th.e proposed legislative language' requiring NRC to establish such an Advisory a

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Pan'eT is' enclosed -(Ericlosure 4).. '"- --.'.......-:. k:.

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.We are 'now -in the process. of ~ determining. the most expeditious way to carry

'out this Comittee provision.c The Comission is proceeding on the basis of its present authority to establish such a panel to consult with and advise us on all actions related to the TMI-2 decontamination subsequent to the establishment

_of the' panel, and -isfex'ploring an appropriate mechanism'for selecting panelists

_and.'dra.fting a suitable procedure ' nder which the panel would operate.

In this u

Ye'ga~rd, the vie'ws' and ~re~comendations 'of the Advisory Panel will not be available when the Comiss' ion is scheduled to reach.its decision on the removal of Kr-85 Lfr0mittie TMI-2 ~ containment' building. - While the Comission retains the respons'ibility tci'make the decisions 'related to the TMI-2 ' decontamination, we will work closely with the Advisory Panel'and thoroughly review and consider its recomendations in

'. formulating our decisions. ::'- :.

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,I trust that I have fully addressed your concerns.

Should you require additional

.information, please contact me.

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Sincerely.

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John F. Ahearne 4

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Enclosures:

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November 1979 Policy Statemen't'

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2. 'May 16 '1980 letter from.Pa.

Governor Thornburgh.to SRC-.

Chairman Ahearne.er " " m

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Final Environmental Assessment for Decontamination of TMI-2 4.

May 15,1980 House Interior and l

-Insular Affairs Comittee Report to accompany H.R. 6628 l

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