ML19323B024
| ML19323B024 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Limerick  |
| Issue date: | 04/03/1980 |
| From: | Varga S Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Cubbler R LOWER POTTSGROVE TOWNSHIP, PA |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19323B025 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8005090137 | |
| Download: ML19323B024 (4) | |
Text
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.l wAsmNGTON, D. C. 20555 APR 0 3 1980 i
Commissioner Roy W. Cubbler i
Township of Lcwer Pottsgrove P. 0. Box 11 Sanatoga, Pennsylvania 19464
Dear Commissioner Cubbler:
This letter is in response to your letter of March 10, 1980 requesting informa-tion concerning the responsibilities of the Township of Lower Pottsgrove when the Limerick Nuclear Power Plant becomes operational.
Your letter identified six areas in which you would like information. Each of these are discussed individually below.
First, however, let me describe the status of the Limerick plant from the licensing viewpoint. The applicant plans to submit the application for an operating license in late 1980 and predicts that Unit I will be ready to load fuel in the last quarter of 1982. The plant will not be allowed to load fuel and conmence operation until we complete our review of the operating license application. This review will include extensive evaluation of several of the areas listed in your letter; namely, emergency planning, radiation detec-tion, and environmental protection.
1.
Ordinances Which Should Be Considered We are not able to provide information or guidance on this matter. We i
suggest that you make inquiries of local governments which are near the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station or Three Mile Island Nuclear Station.
Guidance on ordinances related to emergency planning may be obtained from the Federal Emergency Management Agency as discussed in' Item 2 below.
2.
Emergency Planning The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) published a notice of proposed rule change on emergency planning in the Federal Register on December 19, 1979.
A copy of that notice is enclosed (Enclosure 1). The proposed rule change will provide an upgrade of NRC emergency planning regulations.
In support of the proposed rule and other ongoing emergency preparedness efforts, the NRC staff and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have developed interim guidance and upgraded acceptance criteria that will be used to deter-mine the adequacy of emergency preparedness at each nuclear power plant as well as the State and local governments involved. This document, entitled
" Criteria for Preparation and Evaluation of Radiological Emergency Response Plans and Preparedness in Support of Nuclear Power Plants (For Interim Use and Concent)," NUREG-0654/ FEMA-REP-1 is enclosed (Enclosure 2).
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Comissioner Roy N. Cubbler This document should be used as interim guidance in assuring that the level of emergency planning is appropriately upgraded at and around each nuclear power plant. NUREG-0654 supersedes previous guidance and criteria published by FEMA and the ftRC, and contains the bulk of the information provided by recent letters and reports issued by the NRC. A copy of MUREG-0654 was sent to the applicant by a letter dated March 10, 1980. Other recent letters to the applicant concerning emergency planning are:
flovember 21, 1979 Upgraded emergency plans, related to applicant and NRC interfacing with State and local governmental personnel.
December 21, 1979 Announcing a workshop in the proposed rule in New York on January 15, 1980.
December 26, 1979 Request for information regarding evaluation times.
March 11, 1980 Change of submittal date for evaluation time estimates.
The above letters are available for your review in the local public document room at the Pottstown Public Library, 500 High Street, Pottstown, Pennsylvania 19464.
As a local government, your prime contact with the federal government on emer-gency planning matters should be through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. We suggest that you contact:
Mr. Palmer Scainecchia FEMA Region III Federal Regional Center Olney, Maryland 20832 3.
Radiation Detection Radiation detection and monitoring of effluents during normal station opera-tions are discussed in Item 6 below.
Responsibilities for radiation detection during the course of an accident at a nuclear station are described in Table H on pages 44-46 of NUREG-0654.
4.
Hazardous Material Transcortation Reculations Transportation of radioactive materials is regulated at the Federal level by both the Nuclear Regulatory Comission (NRC) and the Department of Trans-portation (00T). These two agencies partition their regulatory responsibi-lities by means of a Memorandum of Understanding. A brief description is enclosed of the NRC and 00T requirements for the transportation of radio-active materials, including nuclear fuel and waste (Enclosure 3).
3
Commissioner Roy W. Cubbler APRV31990 Under existing regulations, neither the NRC nor the 00T prescribe specific highway routes for the transportation of radioactive materials. The 00T regulations require the use of alternate routes, where practicable, to avoid " heavily populated areas, places where crowds are asseabled, tunnels, narrow streets, or alleys." Existing State and local requirements fre-quently restrict use of bridges, tunnels, and roads for carriers of radio-active and other hazardous materials. In addition, portions of highways which are unfit for travel by heavy vehicles or by vehicles carrying hazar-dous materials have traditionally been closed to traffic by State traffic authorities acting in concert with local officials.
As a result of recent initiatives by State and local authorities to impose routing controls on nuclear shipments, the DOT has undertaken a rulemaking proceeding on transportation safety aspects of highway routing for radio-active materials. The proceeding will include consideration of routing decisions now being made by carriers and or the methods by which those decisions are made, as well as the safety effects of existing and possible Federal, State, and local highway routing controls. A copy of the DOT notice of that proceeding is enclosed (Enclosure 4).
5.
Federal Assistance and Guidance Funding and technical assistance to local governmental bodies for radiolog-ical emergency response plans is discussed on pages 21 and 22 of NUREG-0654.
6.
Environmental Protection The protection of the environment during routine operation of the station is discussed in the " Final Environmental Statement Related to the Proposed Limerick Generating Station, Units 1 and 2," issued in November 1973. A copy is enclosed (Enclosure 5). That document was prepared during the review of the application for construction permits for ~this station. An s
updated environmental statement will be issued during our review of the application for operating licenses for this station. Section 6 of the above document describes the effluent and environmental measurement and monitoring programs.
In sunnary, the licensee is required to maintain a comprehensive radiological monitoring program for several years before the station becomes i
operational and throughout the station's operational life. During operation, reports are required every six months, and copies of these will be placed in the Pottstown Public Library.
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t Comissioner Roy W. Cubbler APR 0 31o80 We trust the above information is respan tve to your ne
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Enclosures:
1.
Federal Register, Volume 44, flo. 245, pages 75167-75174 2.
NUREG-0654/ FEMA-REP-1, January 1980 3.
Transportation of Nuclear Fuel and Waste, 2 pages 4.
Federal Register, Volume 45, No. 22, pages 7139-7153 5.
Final Environmental Statement Related to the Proposed Limerick Generating Station Units 1 and 2, November 1973 i
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