ML19322D381

Discusses Serious Consequences to Water Quality of Susquehanna River from Facility Decontamination Process. Requests Issuance of Instructions Prohibiting Discharge of Radwaste Until EIS Has Been Completed

ML19322D381
Person / Time
Site:	Crane
Issue date:	01/15/1980
From:	Sarbanes P SENATE
To:	Ahearne J NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
References
RTR-NUREG-0591, RTR-NUREG-591 NUDOCS 8002120416
Download: ML19322D381 (2)

Text

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WA'HIN3 TON D.C. 20510 DOCKET NUMBERgg b OD. & UTIL FM l

January 3,-1980 y.

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Honorable John F. Ahearne, Chairman

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Nuclear Regulatory Cor: mission dE.

N i*s 1717 H Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C.

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Dear Mr. Chairman:

co c3 gj-On October 23, 1979 1 wrote to your predecessor,

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Chairman Hendric, to express my strong concern over E=

the~possible contamination of the Susquehanna River g:.:.p by wastewater from the~Three Mile Island nuclear power E=

plant.

At that time the Nuclear Regulatory Commission y,..;

had approved plans for the decontamination of wastewater f~-

through use of the BPICOR-II process.

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Given the serious consequences that any con-

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tamination of the Susquehanna River would have for i=~

Maryland's water supply and for the Chesapeake Bay, the r

nat' ion's most productive estuary, I want to repeat my concern that the water quality of the Susquehanna River

if not be in any way adversely affected by the Three Mile p.

Island decontamination pro. cess.

Unfortunately, develop-ments over the last two months fail to demonstrate that the NRC has taken adequate steps to ensure that Maryland's

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environment will not be endangered by the decontamination process.

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I am especially co.ncerned that the Commission has

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not required a completed environmental impact statement:

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on the decontamination and disposal of radioactive wastes at Three Mile Island prior to the discharge of any of q

these wastes into the environment.

While the NRC has E

announced its intention to prepare an environmental impact z.

statement in connection with the Three Mile Island clean-E....

up, it has not precluded the release of any radioactive M

wastes into the environment prior to the statement's p.i completion.

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r.;::l Clearly the Commission should not permit any such

"* :l release bef're it has the benefit of the detailed analysis o

and public review and comment that a completed environ-

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mental. impact statement is designed to provide.

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Honorable John F. Ahearne January 15, 1980 Page 2 g

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id fore urge you to issue immediate instructions to prohibit e

the discharge of radioactive waste from Three Mile Island until an environmental impact stater.ent has been completed.

8 In view of the seriousness of this aatter, your prompt T

response to this letter would be greatly appreciated.

h<L With best regards, Sincerely, I, n,-

Paul S. Sarbanes United States Senator PSS:jce e

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Distribution Docket (Attach original of incoming correspondence) - Docket Nos. 50-289 (50-320)

• NRC/PDR (Xerox copy of incoming and place behind outgoing PDR copy)

• Iocal PDR NRR r/f SPE/TMI r/f D1I Site r/f RVollmer Shiiner JohnCollins hOliu PChee, Argonne National; Laboratory DEisenhut RTedesco RReid DDiIanni

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CNelson FSilver RIngram/LA

• TERA

• Place these three copies in one envelope and forward to DSB-016.

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