ML19322E018
| ML19322E018 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 02/15/1980 |
| From: | Vollmer R NRC - TMI-2 OPERATIONS/SUPPORT TASK FORCE |
| To: | Wohlsen A LANCASTER, PA |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19322E019 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8003140094 | |
| Download: ML19322E018 (2) | |
Text
J
- o FEBRUARY 1 5 1!B3 l
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The Honorable Albert B. Wohlsen, Jr.
Mayor of Lancaster Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17604
Dear Mayor Wohlsen:
I am writing in response to your letter to me of October 2,1979, regarding NRC's approval of Met Ed's use of EPICOR-II. I regret that this answer to your letter has been delayed, although the delay does allow me to provide you with information that is more timely in addressing your concerns.
As you know, the Cocraission has authorized the use of EPICOR-Il for pro-cessing waste water contained in the TMI-2 auxiliary building tanks. This action was taken after the coupletion of the Environmental Assessment of the Use of EPICOR-II and the receipt and consideration of coments from the public and state and feoeral agencies. Although we believe that this waste water, and the accumulation of additional water, can be safely stored on site, we did conclude that it was prudent to imonilize the radioactivity, thus making it less accessible to the environment. We believe that the pro-cessing of the waste water will make occupational exposure of plant personnel less likely and will also reduce from this activity source the likelihood of the spread of contamination to other parts of the plant or to the environ-ment as a result of potential leaks, spills or operational error.
The Comission's decision on the use of EPICOR-II does not allow the dis-cnarge of any of the processed watar. The issue of disposal of the pro-cessed water, by discharge to the Susquehanna River or by any other methoc, will be evaluated in suosequent assessments which will have the benefit of public cocrnent. Further, the aisposition of processed water is also included in the Settlement Agreement currently being negotiated between the parties involvea in the litigation in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, City of Lancaster v. United States huclear Regulatory Comission, Civil Action Ho. 78-1368.
The leakage to which you refer is normal to most industrial facilities which use valves, pumps, and other components for the transfer of pressurized liquid. The leakage did not start af ter the accident and has actually been reouced significantly by selectively shutting down systems not essential to the safe shutcown operation and, where possible, by maintenance on plant co@ onents. Of course, no such maintenance work has been performed in the unentered Duilaing.
y In its Statement of Policy and Notice of Intent to Prepare a Prograncatic Environmental Impact Statenent of Hovemoer 21, 1979 (enclosed), the Comission stated that the staff would prepare a programatic environ-mental impact statement on tne decontamination and aisposal of racioactive wastes resulting from the Three Mile Island, Unit 2, accicent. The state-ment enchasizes the Comission's intention to (1) cooroinate its actions on tnis matter uitn :ne Presicent's Council on Environrental vuality, anc o = = < ce )j.
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9 The Honorable Albert B. Wohlsen, Jr. D'JARY 1 s gg; (2) provide the opportunity for public comment. The programmatic environ-mental impact statement will focus on the environmental issues and alterna-tive methods associated with the performance of these cleanup activities.
Public meetings are being held in the Harrisburg-Middletown area to discuss the scope of the impact statement. The first of these was held at The Forum in Harrisburg on January 29, 1980. The second meeting was held on February 12, 1980, at the Liberty Fire Hall in Middletown, Pennsylvania.
Currently, about 100,000 gallons of water have been processed by EPICOR-II and about 330,000 gallons remain to be processed. Experience with the use of EPICOR-II has been satisfactory although the licensee has experienced recent difficulties because of the chemical nature of some batches of waste water. This is in the process of being resolved. The overall experience has been that the decontamination factors anticipated in the Environmental Assessment have been met or exceeded. This has been independently verified by measurements made by the State of Maryland.
I hope that I have been responsive to your concerns. If you have any ques-tions, please feel free to contact me at (301) 492-7347.
Sincerely, Udstant efened ty:
nichard z. v-n-..
Richard H. Vollmer, Director Three Mile Island Support
Enclosure:
Statement of Policy and Notice of Intent to Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement Distribution Copies:
Docket No. 50-320 w/ incoming HBerkow/WRussell EPDR w/ copy of incoming DMuller Local PDR w/ copy of incoming DVassallo TERA w/ copy of incoming DEisenhut SEP:TMI r/f RTedesco TMI Site r/f RRei d RVollmer WGannill JCollins DDilanni SMiner CNelson JMullin PKreut::er HDenton MGroff w/NRR Ticket No. 3359 HCase D/T' I Support l
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=: son e s u 9.ral Nacu 024o C u.s. covERNMENT DRINTif%G oPFICE; 1979 299 369
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