ML19318C815

Comments on Proposal to Vent Kr-85 from Containment Bldg: Should Identify All Future Problems & Possible Solutions That May Arise in Other Phases of Cleanup Operation.Offers Support in Seeking Technical or Scientific Advice

ML19318C815
Person / Time
Site:	Crane
Issue date:	05/16/1980
From:	Thornburgh D PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF
To:	Ahearne J NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
Shared Package
ML19318C804	List: ML19318C803 ML19318C815 ML19318C822
References
NUDOCS 8007020313
Download: ML19318C815 (3)

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CoMMowwcALTH or PcNNsYLVANIA

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GovenNon's Orvnct HAnnisouno THE oovenwon May 16, 1980 1_-

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Honorable John F. Ahearne

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Acting Chairman ~

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Nuclear Regulatory Commission

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Dear M. Chairman:

i This is to notify you of my views, on behalf of the Common-wealth of Pennsylvania, regarding the proposal now before you

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to remove radioactive krypton 85 from the Three Mile Island ".

Unit 2 containment building by the process of venting it into the atmosphere.

I have sought and received assessments from the broadest range of knowledgeable sources available regarding potential health effects of that proposal.

These sources have included:

• Members of your own staff, and especially Mr. Harold Denton, your director of nuclear reactor regulation.

• The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), the nation's foremost critic, I believe, of existing nuclear power safety i

levels.

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- The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measure-ments (NCRP), an organization of distinguished scientists and physicians which has been' instrumental in setting radiation h&alth standards in this country for nearly 20 ye'ars.

• Representatives of the electric utility and nuclear in-dustries.

• The U.S.

Department of Health, Education and Welfare.

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• The' Governor's Commission.on Three Mile Island.

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• The Pennsylvania Departments of Health and Public Welfare, the latter of which has jurisdiction in the area of mental health i

in our state.

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• The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources (DER),, including its Burieau -of Radiation Protection.

The assess $nents of these various groups and institutions 4

are being forwarded to you under separate cover, and I respect-fully request that you enter them into your official record on this matter.

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There is', I have'found, a broad-based consensus among these

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sources that the venting proposal now before you would have,

.in the words.;.of the Concerned Scientists, "no direct radiation-c

, ; induced health. effec.ts.;on:the residents of this area."

similarly,

--the NCRP.~ concludes: 3"the exposures likely to be received as a result of venting are not a valid basis for concern with res-

. Pect to. health.effacts."

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There is a, consensus:qn...the: accuracy of:the radiation dose rate calculations,.made.by.yo.ur.. staff, in conj unction with the

--utility, and there_is a. consensus that.those.. dose rates are.

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" insignificant."

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I should point out that the Union of Concerned Scientists

. feels that.the. psychologic.al<stres.s.already._ experienced by many residents.of[ tihis. area since March 28, 1979 should seriously

,,.,be considered.in.any decision.you make with regard to the cleanup operation on Three Mile Island, and I agree with that.

As you know, I,previo.uslyainstruc.ted., attorneys,for.:.the.. Commonwealth-to

,, introduce.. stress a.s. a:legitima.tenfac.to.r. for,you to consider in other decisions growing out of this incident.

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I am adv3 sed.and I beli.ev.e,.-however, that the question of stress, as related to the venting plan, is directly linked to

~'the question of its safety, and that the consensus finding that the plan poses..no. radiation. thre.at to public health should,: in itself,.substantially; reduce..any stress that might have accompanied it.

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UCS also recom= Ends enat you consider two alternative venting plans described in.its' report,'and that you reconsider two non-

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venting plans' previous 1y' rejected by your staff.

I am sure you will give due consideration to those recommendations.

'I do urge that any new assessme.nts be. completed as promptly as possible.

i I am advised and believe that the sooner this matter is resolved, the sooner any stress ~related to it will be dissipated.

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Mr. Ahrarn3 -

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s..- May 16, 1980 I ' recognize thitt':part of:the delay already experienced :-

has been due to my effort to be:~ assured of the safety of venting.

I now have that assurance, and I feel that a safe cleanup plan should be implimented as quickly as possible.

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Should you proceed with the venting proposal advanced by -

your staff, be assured that I am prepared to support that decision.

To minimize stress, I also am prepared to commit all of the resources:at mycdisposal to assure the res.idents of the area, as..I am mow persuaded, that this plan is, indeed, a: safe onei.s =i :=e C:.:

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in:.-.:.S hes.lth effects On..ths.:cside.: -

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":il a r17 d-It-has -beent:said 'that some of.the alternatives should have been considered as (soon as -the.immediate crisis on Three Mile :-

Island hadtended ~.': Recognizing that hindsight is an easy thing to employ, I do recommend that you begin now to identify all of the future problems.and every possible solution to those...-

problems that we. may confront.in other phases of the cleanup -

operation. - I also recommend that you arrange to tap all potential' sources of technical and scientific advice regarding those problems.

Be assured that I stand ready to work with your staff in that regard...: 2.2 ics.'..

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r-M Thank you"-for the opportunit. to express ~my views on this important matter.

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'g STATEMENT OF POLICY AND NOTICE OF INTEliT TO PREPARE A PROGRAMMATIC ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT n

AGENCY:

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Co= mission

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ACTIOl:

Statement of Policy SUNIARY:

The nuclear Regulatory Cc= mission has dec..ded to pre-pare a programmatic environmental impact statenent on the decon-tamination and disposal of radioactive wastes resulting from the March 28, 1979 accident at Three Mile Island Unit 2.

For some time the Conn 4ssion's staff has been moving in this direction.

In the Co=si.ssion's judg=ent an overall study of the decontamina-tion and disposal process will assist the Commission in carrying out its regulatory responsibilities under the Atocic Energy Act to jprotect the public health and safety as decontamination, progresses.

It will also be in keeping with the purposes of the National Environmental Policy Act to engage the public in the Comm4ssion's decision-making process, and to focus on environmental issues and alternatives before cocmitments to specific clean-up choices are =ade.

Additionally, in light of the extraordinary nature of this action and the expressed interest of the President's

' Council on Environmental Qaality in the TMI-2 c1'ean-up, the Commission intends to co-ordinate its actions with CEQ.

In particular, before determining the scope of the pro 5:acmatic iult with environcental i=---- -

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