ML19322C492
| ML19322C492 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 04/03/1979 |
| From: | Wilcox W HOUSING & URBAN DEVELOPMENT, DEPT.OF, FEDERAL DISASTER |
| To: | Watson J PRESIDENT OF U.S. & EXECUTIVE OFFICES |
| References | |
| TASK-TF, TASK-TMR NUDOCS 8001170820 | |
| Download: ML19322C492 (5) | |
Text
4 I**
- [ goal,**g c
. Q DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND UHDAN DEVELOPMENT 4
- b1 8'**
FEDERAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE ADfAINISTH ATION
[
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20410
'ly,
- L..
OFFICE OF THE ADMINISTR ATOR IN REPLY REFEm von April 3, 1979 MEMORANDUM FOR:
Honorable Jack Watson Assistant to the President FROM:
Villiam H. Wilcox Ac>ninistrator, FDAN
SUBJECT:
Reptrt'No. 5. Three Mile Island Incident As of 1:00 this afternJon, the situation at Three Mile Island remains stable.
In the daily briefing for me by the NRC, I invited DCPA, FPA, DOMS, FIA and Gordon Vickery, Acting Director of FEMA to again listen in.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced that the temperature inside the reactor was decreasing, though levels of pressure are still of concern.
The NRC is expressing " cautious optimism."
A major problem ifj
- now faced is the disposal of contaminated waste water from k' I inside the reactor.
Radioactive iodine was foend in air samples taken in the area, as well as small traces in river water downstream in the Susquehanna.
The hydrogen bubble continues to diminish in size.
In reference to spontaneous evacuations mada by local residents, the media in the Harrisburg area, along with county and local officials concluded that 30-percent of the population in the Harrisburg area had spontaneously evacuated.
At the same time, the Pennsylvania Office of Administration reported that 30 percent of State employees were absent from work yesterday in the Harrisburg area.
The Director of the National Cancer Institute at the National Institute of Health stated that all the workers at the Three Mile Island Plant should be given doses of potassium iodine in an effort to stem radioactive iodine that may be present in their bodies.
It is interesting to note, however, that the NBC does not agree with this assessment, believing that doses of potausium iodine are not required at this time.
The State is.considering preparing a simple list of instructions, but no distribution of thc drug at this time.
In addition, though iodine has been found in locally produced milk, the State has decided not to dispose of the milk, but rather J
\\
b D
8001170 h O
,[*
2-
. )b.
to advise pregnant women within a five mile radius of the plant not to drink the milk.
With respect to public health and safety, HEW has taken up the following mission assignments in the past 24 hour2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br />s:
A.
The. transporting of 250,000 vials of potassium iodine.
This mission will be completed by this time tomorrow.
At present, 140,000 vials are on site in the control of the State Health Department alon,g with instructions on their use.
One thousand of these vials have been set aside for emergency workers.
B.
Food Sampling FDA has 20 persons presently on-site sampling food.
In addition, 7 CDC persons are on-site taking environmental samplings.
All food processing plants in the area have been identified and arrangements have been made for sampling of all processed food prcduced in the vicinity.
C.
Dosimeters y,
- y. L -
.One hundred ninety-three are in place in a twenty-mile Gk radius around the Three Mile Plant.
FDA samples taken as of 4:30 yesterday, from inside and outside buildings, show nine of the eighteen sampling indicate trace amounts of iodine and seizum.
D.
Notice of Advanced Action HEW has received a mission assignment request to provide for the State in the event of an emergency declaration, 50 doctors and 50 nurses.
They have also received a request for 375 ambulances and 30,000 blankets.
They do not have the capabilities to fulfill these later requests and will defer to another agency's resources.
HEW is now printing and expects to have ready for distribution tomorrow guides for health care personnel on " Methods to Avoid Over Exposure" and " Food Contamination."
They are also working with the NRC to develop a registry of all personnel at the Three Mile Plant for back up protection.
In addition, they are also working with the State to develop a surveilance system for health needs associated with establishing evacuation and relocation systems.
s
.-l* l.;
- \\
r-Q
O 3
.e '
The American National Red Cross reports that its staffing in
'i\\
well underway, with over 25 staff assigned in various capacities and thoroughly briefed on their responsibilities.
In addition, the Red Cross mentioned that the American Woolen Company has 100,000 blankets available that they are williro to sell at
$4 each.
The blankets, which will be held un'
. Thursday, could be shipped in 25 railroad cars, 4,000 pet car.
As you are aware, the decision has been made not to move the 4,000 Red Cross cots from Dayton, Ohio to Philadelphia by militag air.
As a result, the Red Cross proposed, and I concurred, that the cots be transported by truck to Lancaster, Pennsylvania for i_epositioning.
At your request, I am drawing up a plan in anticipation of various contingencies during the next 6-8 weeks " cool down" period.
Dick Sanderson of my staff will head up a group to operate in close coordination with the Lead Federal Official, other Federal agencies, the Red Cross and other voluntary organizations, in an effort to develop this document.
The plan, to be presented to you this Friday, will be updated continually as the situation dictates, such issues as standby evacuation procedures, mobilization of supplies and other resources, standby staffing requirements, public informati@
socio-economic ramifications, and roles of the Federal, State
,d"-)
and local governments will be discussed.
To this end you
(. p~.
should also note that planning continues for the possible use of the Emmitsburg, Maryland site as the Federal Operations Center FDAA personnel met last night with the Governor, Lt. Governor and other State officials to discuss State evacuation plans and the capability of the Federal Government to respond to the State's initial list of unmet needs.
In addition, response to supplemental needs, particularly ambulances and blankets was discussed.
In regard to the question of proper disposal of contiminated industrial waste, on Three Mile Island, Governor Thornburg was concerned with the political consequences of dumping this waste into the Susquehanna River.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission was convinced, however, that this waste, despite minimal levels of radioactive contamination, is nonetheless l
cafe and below allowable levels of radioactivity.
This problem reached a critical state, as the plant concluded it needed to release the waste into the River so a 400,000 gallon sump.now operating does not become overloaded.
l T
-d ; 8 d'.
/ QC[h [h f -
S p,
hh&id$bd=
~
l
,4 For a time, it was expected the NIU: would be forced to
. b;,
use large capacity fuel bladders provided by DOD to dispose of the waste.
We understand the Governor has now removed.
his objection to the dumping.
At the request of the NRC, we have obtained demographic profiles for areas from the Three Mile Island site.
The profiles show 1970 official population, 1977 population estimates and other data for the areas within a 5, 10, and 20-mile radius of the plant.
Although not yet raised, we anticipate that an SBA declaration for low interest loans for economic injury might be requested at a later date, given the probable negative economic impact of the situation the last week.
Lt. Governor Scranton has urged, through the Lead Federal Official, that the roderal government begin consideration of a ccordinated and integrated research program in connection with the incident and the events which have followed.
Unless there is some coordination, a chaotic state may emerge.
- Finally, I strongly urge that the President give consideration to the formation of a Blue-Ribbon panel to review the medical, scientific and socio-economic implications of this type of, incident.
Such a group would, provide a e' gree' 9f coordination and discourage 4 0P-unfounded, p e'udiced, r se oerving pseudo-research.
k$,:I k
s til lam H. Wilcox Administrator Attachment O
9 9
l i
b J
,. 'h'..
o Degree 4/02/79 from which Knotn 0 :00 A.!4.
Wind is (1.15 g a', nal Coming MPl!
c
.:ological enuer FDAA OPERATIONS CENTER WIND AND WEATi!ER FORECAST _
IIARRISBU RG
'EVEL TUES 4/3 14ED 4/4 TI!URS 4/5 FRI 4/6 SAT 4/7 SURFACE 050/8 290/18 300/15 VAR /10 120/05 L,000 FT 060/18 220/25 290/25 290/20 290/15 2,000 FT 070/15 220/33 280/35 280/30 280/25 3,000 FT 090/15 230/40 270/40 270/40 280/35 5,000 FT 150/15 230/45 260/50 270/55 270/45 0,000 FT 240/30 220/70 250/88 260/95 270/80 Chance of Pr: - 4.p 60%
90%
40%
f r. r.
- u!'
General Trends _ A frontal system will lie just southeast of the area today and tonight and a low pressure system will develop which will move N/NE and produce rain on Wednesday and end late in the day.
Another syster will be moving slowly E/NE by Friday and will bring clouds by Saturday.
e e
e 9
e
. : fi i
.- e am am -
y
-