ML19320B289
| ML19320B289 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 06/18/1980 |
| From: | Harold Denton Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Bull K AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8007100145 | |
| Download: ML19320B289 (1) | |
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&*# NI' UNITED STATES Y ^a NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 3.-
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WASmNGTON, D. C. 20555 5
~I June 18,1980 l
Ms. Kay Bull 1242 Church Street r
San Fr'ancisco, California 94114 Oear Ms. Bull:
This is in reply to your letter of March 13, 1980, to the Nuclear Regulatory Comission.
With regard to mutations caused by radiation, you may be interested in the section on genetic effects on pages 51-53 of the enclosed report NUREG-0558 of May 1979 on " Population Dose and Health Impact of the Accident at the Three Mile Island Nuclear Station" prepared by technic.al staff members of the Nuclear Regulatory Comission, the Department of Heal;h, Education and Welfare and the Environmental Protection Agency. Also, attention is called to genetic effects of the Three Mile Island accident on the offsite population within 50 miles, which are included in the table on page 61. Of the total of 78,000 persons who would nornally develop genetic effects in the first generation from all causes, 60 to 970 could result from natural background radiation, and from 0.01 to 0.64 could result from the lifetime impact of the population dose from the TMI accident from March 28 through April 7,1979. The number of genetic effects from the TMI accident for all future generations could range from 0.05 to 4.8.
Attached is a pamphlet published by the American Cancer Society that contains a discussion with Dr. Arthur C. Upton concerning low level radiation risks.
It should provide additional assurance regarding the low risks discussed above.
As to disposal of radioactive wastes, enclosed is a message of February 12, 1980, from President Carter to the Congress, establishing a comprehensive radioactive waste management program intended to protect the public health and safety.
In connection with the safety of nuclear power plants, an NRC Action Plan has been developed to provide a comprehensive and integrated basis for the improve-ments necessary as a result of the experience with the Three Mile Island accident and official studies and investigations of the accident. Every effort is being made to protect the public health and safety at all nuclear power plants that are currently in operation or that may start operating in the future.
Sincerely, Harold R. Denton, Director Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Enclosure:
As stated l
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5 Dcar.:?.C, As a member of our /c.erican society, and as such seeking to be well infor -
ed on the cencerns of our time, I attegted a private accumulaticn of written material reganiing nuclear energy. Tne consistency of what had been written as to what had been arolied seemed to bare little correlation.
The consequence of my study has left me quite puzzled. P/ original intention of becoming =cre familar with nuclear pcwer as an energy scuree has disintegra, ted to ccnfusion. ~his means of ccnmunication with your organization is an at.
te. pt to clarify this ccndition.
In order to better acquaint you with my quandry I should like to present ene quote and two photcgraphs, as an example of material enccuntered during my per-eenal investigation.
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" IT HAS E?2ADY 3EEN STATED THAT HChTVER SLIGHT TE A ATION, IT IS C ACASI2 0F CAUSING MUTATIONS. SERE IS NO MINIMUM A OF RADIATION THAT MUST BE IICIEDID 3EFC?2 HA?SFUL M DUCED. A30UT 89 OCENT OF KN0'4N MUTATIONS OCCGRING MAN ARE RECESSIVE. OF THE A??ROIIMATELY 75 DcMINAN ING SPOTANEOSLY IN MAN, MCST A?2 DETRIENTE; INDEED, ASCUT 80
?IR-CENT ARE LETHE, '4HICH MEANS EAT A30UT I'40 OUT OF TEN SUCH MUTATIO
~4ILL SURVIVE TO 3E REPRODUCED IN TE NEXT GENERATION, HN
....TST MUTATIONS CCCUR SPONTAEOUSLY '4ITH A FEQUENC OE PER MPlION CO?IES. MAN'S MUTATION RATE EROUGOUT H HAS SEEN 7JITE ADEQUATE TO ENSUE HIS FAVORAELE C0tC
'4ITHOUT TE NECESSIT! 0F ANY ARTIFICIE SPEEDING UP OF E FACT, EE C?IAT DANGR FRO." ARTIFICIELY ?ECDUCE EIS:
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COMULATE IN SUCH HIG FREQUENCIES THAT THEY 'iOULD ENDA VIVAL OF EE S?ICIES.
HL7.AN E?IDIT_Y ASELEY MOTAGU 1959
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- .unercus statenents supporting Mr. Mentagu's renarks were disclosed thrcugh q readings. Their concurance seens to suggest direct cppesitien to the existing cpperation and proliferatien of nuclear power plants.
c' To the individual seeking knewledge of the time in which we live, these po-larities are quite unsettling. The evaluation of our technolegical achie7:ents becenes entangled with the question of survival cf the species. Since it can be surnised that all hunan beings share the cencern for " favorable continuing evolu-tion" - perhaps it would be of nore cptimistic persuasics were these two facters not so negatively contingent upcn the other.
I understand that a role of your organization is to exercise regulations on the use of nuclear energy. To.v nind this would appear to be a task cf great difficulty.
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"'his photcgraph appeared in a 1968 publication entitled "OUR 2CLLUTED WORLD". Besides the statement referring to the dated methed cf disposal; it is i==ediately apparent few persens of the 1960's would be satisfied with such minhl =aterial protecticn ( i.e., gloves Only ).
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2.reugh standads set by your organization the working conditiens of persens itive to invclved in the ha.-dling of radicactive materials has becene =cre sens the hazadous states they represent.
And yet, I cannot relinquish the evidence presented 'to the effect that there is no minimal level of exposure to radiation that is CONDUCI7E TO Hi.7.A'I IVCLU -
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Tne photcgraph of the atemic garbage man suggests an innocence in the realm
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of nuclear research. It was presented at a time when the " infinite " source of pcwer offered was it's most substantial raisen d' etre.To be certain, such sim-plictic thought is not so offensive, as merely lacking the knowledge made a-vailable to us today.
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! STORAGE TUNNEL AT THE HANFORO ATOMIC PLANT IN RICHLAN
[ }h RAOlOACTIVE WASTE IS ROLLED INTO THIS VAULT ON FLAT.
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I found this photogrzph in the same publicatica " 003 POLL J':'ED '4C?.L3 ",1968.
Much to :ny su: prise a si:nilar picture recently appeared in our local news pa -
pers. ':'he photo was acec:q:anied by an article detailing a system of nuclear dis-posal within granite beds buried deep below the earth's surface.
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~he actuality of such an activity occuring at this point in tim:
total disregard to research en nuclear wastes and their chysielegical effects, de-within the last 12 years. ~he cencept of radioactive materials allcwed to cc:gose,over the next 1000 years prcriding " perfect " cenditions are maintain-ed, is hard to swallow. Especially when it has beccme ecmman to read of mishaps occurring within the plants themselves in our daily papers.
( The mest recent exa. ple being that of a caretaker mcpping the floor and accidentally catching his shirt in an important piece of equipment, inside the chambers of a nuclear plant.
)
As hu=ans, we all recognise the margin of error that occurs in any well laid plans. It would seem apparent the caretaker's incident was not inten -
tional. And yet, a situation could arise from such an insignificant act whose consequence could endanger the lives of many pecple. Should we hold the " care-taker" responsible ? Should scciety de-and from persons involved in this field of work " no mistakes " ?
I believe it is one of humans' mere noble assets to aspire perfection with-in the realm of our interests. Nuclear power may be an idea tcwards which seme persons, feel the desire for perfection. However, when the actuality of o$tain-ing that geal endangers the centinuence of the species, as well as placing in-dividuals under such marginal conditions for it's success... is it worth it 7 For :qyself, the justification for incr asing nuclear pcwer plants, as well as the burial system of radicactive wastes, becer.~.s less defined. The more in-fore:ation I acquire, the nore confused I become as to it's practise.
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8-I am hopeful that your organisation will be able to provide scme explanation as to the inconsistencies with which I have found Uself cerfronted. I would appreci-ate any response helpful towads a better understanding of the use of nuclear energy in this country.
2dNK YOU KR ICU?..CTENTION.
Locking fewad to your reply; Sincere 17, Kay Sull A 31380
- ?S - During the course of this letter, I made reference to the = cst recent news article on radicactive ha: ads. I should like to update this =aterial at this ti.w.
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