ML19323H080

Expresses Concern That No Methodology Exists for Citizen Input to Development of Evacuation Plan

ML19323H080
Person / Time
Site:	Grand Gulf
Issue date:	06/02/1980
From:	John Miller AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED
To:	Grimes B Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
NUDOCS 8006110310
Download: ML19323H080 (2)

Text

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-- . . CLAIBORNE COUNTY CITIZENS ,

FOR SAFE ENERGY Jtmes Miller Phonee BOX 474 Jtmes Devoual 601 437-6863 PORT GIBSON, MS. 39150 J

June 2, 1980 Mr. Brain K. Grimes Emergency Prepardness Task Group ,

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20472 Dear This letter comes to your agency out of genuine concern for the safety of the people of Claiborne County, Mississippi.

Within the county, there has been formed a group of concerned persons who have very serious problems with our State / Local Emergency Response Plans for Nuclear Reactor Accidents. Claiborne County Citizens for Safe Energy (CCCSE) feels that we, the -

citizens of Claiborne County, have been systematically left out of the planning process surrounding the evacuation plan.

When one looks at the organizational structure imposed within the criteria, citizens input is at the top of the chart. To this point,'no methodology has been developed by which this could have taken place. We do not understand how the state and county, along with Mississippi Power and Light (MP&L) could have possibly sub-mitted their plan for approval to your agency without the citizens of this county having some degree of knowledge as to what the plan encompasses.

We are very upset about the state of affairs surrounding our state / local plan and know of no other agency to turn to but yours for some direction on this most critical issue of emergency evacu-ation. One must remember that at Three Mile Island (TMI), both the goof NRC and stats and local were at the mercy of the utility company 3 for information about the advisability or needs for an evacuation.

It's a general consensus that during this key crisis point information

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. o Page 2 June 2, 1980 The issue of Alcorn is of great importance. Alcorn has a population of approximately three thousand (3,000) persons during most of the year. This figure is half of the total number of people surveyed within the ten-mile radius.

According to the local Civil Defense Director, A.C. Garner, "he can't be sure that the evacuation of Alcorn would go smoothly because no transportation arrangements have been made and he does not know who has the responsibility for making these arrangements."

We, the members of CCCSE, feel that our County Plan is full of ambiguities, and gaps exist that make it virtually impossible for any rational thinking governmental agency to comply with this State / Local and MP&L Evacuation Plan. In the final analysis, CCCSE must take the position that a state of readiness is very in-portant in order to protect the public health and safety in the event of a nuclear power plant accident.

As Chairman Hendrie testified, "The accident at Three Mile Island has made it very clear that emergency planning and pre-paredness is a major and integral part of nuclear regulation. I don't think that any one needs to be persuaded that thorough emergency preparedness is an essential component in the regulatory structure protecting public health and safety."

The lives of the people in Claiborne County will rest in the utility operator's hands. At least let us have some degree of input into the evacuation plan, in view of the fact that most of the citizens here had no input as to the building of this nuclear mostrosity.

Sincerely yours,

,A James Miller w

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