ML19326E224
| ML19326E224 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Peach Bottom  |
| Issue date: | 07/02/1980 |
| From: | Dircks W NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Walker R HOUSE OF REP. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8007280549 | |
| Download: ML19326E224 (7) | |
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,o go-/W maw The Honerable Fcbert S. Walker United States House of Representatives Washington, D. C.
20515
Dear Mr. Walker:
Your letter of May 20, 1980, regarding correspondence to you frem Dr. John L.
Randall and Mrs. Walden S. Randall brought to my attention their concerns regarding emergency planning at the Peach Bottom Nuclear Pcwer Plant.
With respect to Dr. John L. Randall's concern regarding funding for offsite support agencies, in the near future it is likely that continued operation of the two Peach Bottom units will be contingent upon the adequacy of both on-site and off-site emergenwy preparedness. While some State and local funding is usually available, and while in some cases specific State legislation makes assessments for emergency preparedness purposes, we expect that it will be in the interest of the licensee to provide voluntary assistance to assist in improving offsite preparedness. With respect to Federal level funds, while some very small amounts may be available, no significant increases can be expected in the short term. In the long tern FEMA may provide certain resources and funding. However, further taxes for emergency preparedness purposes by appropriate State or local jurisdictions may well be the long term solution.
The following is in regard to Mrs. Walden S. Banda11's concerns about the arrangements which were made for our April 24, 1980 meeting at Peach Bottom.
Except for meetings dealing with security measures or other proprietary information, meetings between the NRC staff and our licensees are open to the parties to the proceeding ati the public. A copy of the letter announcing the meeting is sent to all the parties concerned and also to the local public documenr room which is normally located in a sizeable community near the plant site.
However, because of the subject matter.of emergency planning and its interest *w the public, the NRC staff has made an additional and distinct effort *4 notify i
the public, as well as affected government officials, regarding our current program involving visits to each of the nation's operating nuclear power plants for the purpose of promptly upgrading e.nergency preparedness.
With respect to the Peach Bottom meating, our public announcement was issued on March 31, 1980 - well in advance of the meeting date. I have enclosed a copy of the public announce=ent and the mailing list used for the Paach Bottom meeting. In addition, cur emergency planning Team Leader responsible for reviewing the plans, submitred by the licensed utility, personally extended I
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The Honorable Robert S. Walker an invitation to the local officials responsible for implementing emergency actions in the environs of the Peach Bottom facility. This included all of the county civil defense directors within a 10 mile radius, including Mr. Paul Leese from Lancaster County.
I might add that the attendance at the public meeting was in excess of 100 citirens from both Pennsylvania and Maryland.
As you may be aware, President Carter, on December 7, 1979, directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to take the lead in off-site emergency planning and to review and assess State and local emergency plans for adequacy. The FEMA regional office is working actively with the State and its political subdivisions to produce improved emergency preparedness plans and capabilities as soon as pos2ible. At the point in time whe.n the FEMA Rogional Director is satisfied that the State and local plans are ready for review against the criteria by the FEMA National Headquarters, there will be a public meeting held in the vicinity of the power plant. This meeting will include a general description of the concepts and propose.d emergency actions contained in the plans and public cement and recomendations will be solicited. These coments and recomendations will be considered during the final review of the plans by FEMA Headquarters in Washington, D. C.
A copy of a letter to me from Mr. Frank Cam, FEMA, stating this cemitment is enclosed.
I trust this responds to your constituents' concerns.
Sincerely, 7N2"30 *I. A R5hd William J. Dircks, Acting Executive Director for Operations
Enclosures:
1.
Peach Bottom Press Release 2.
Mailing List 3.
Letter from F. Camm, FEMA to W. Dircks, NRC
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4 Director of Congressional Affairs Federal Emergency Management Agency Washington, D.C.
20472
Dear Sir:
I am enclosing herewith two letters I received recently from my constituents in the 16th District of Pennsylvania.
As you will note, both individuals are concerned about emergency preparedness in areas surroundinc-nuclear facilities.
I would be grateful for your review of the correspondence and any available information which would speak to the concerns expressed.
In addition, I would be pleased to have your cooperation with respect to the request for a meeting with area residents.
'our assistance will be greatly appreciated and I look Y
forward to hearing from you in this regard at your earliest convenience.
Cordially, Robert S. Walker Mi Encl.
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\\cc: Director of Congressional Affairs Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C.
20555
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.s River Hill Farm RD2 Holtwood Pa 17532 284-2651 May 5, 1980 Congressmen Robert Walker Lancaster County Courthouse N. Luke St Lancaster Pa
Dear Congressman Walker,
and Assistant Mark Phillius, I was so glad to receive your letter this Saturday on the subject of the Peach Botton meeting. Apologies for my inadequate note-I sent so many in such a short time trying to alert people to the meeting I nust have inadvertantly lef t off the time and place. As far as I can gather the only local notification in Lanccster County was in the New Ira on April 3, 1980 from the A? wire: no County Civil Defense,
(:lcr. Paul Leese and his six Directors in the related townships) no County Commissioners ( I called Mr.
Huber's office), no Townshiu Suterviscrs and no other legisl= tors were notified. None of these of us in the general public who have been writing of cur concerns for over a year to the NRC and the utility were told. I learned fra a conversation with Ms. Debbie Lunlap, the editor of the Quarryville Sun-Ledger, which then on April 30, 1980 carried a full front page report on the me6 ting. I really am sorry Mr. Phillips, who is always so helpful and efficient, had such a fruitless evening.
It is very obvious to me that you and your assistants must now be convinced that NRC is not up to par. Perhaps you will share our con-cerns about allowing such an azency almost total discretion in the deci-sions which affect so directly the welfare of the people of these three counties, and so many others. Should the clean-uc at the damaged plant be in their hands? Should they be in charge of surveillance?
Maybe,5ou will now see that your constituents who write on this issue h
are/ ot " stressed" but have a legitimate basis for their concern, born of many months of aecling with them. While the structure of the law is cl' ear, it is a necessity for the local people to have more control BECAUSE they in fact are most affected. Decisions MUST be based on sa-fety not money and the smallest possible releases need to te the goal as no one knows how much ultimately will have to go out when they re-cove the core. Entombment is possible in the long run.a?TER core reser.1 but permanent disposal at the site untenable.
I an sure Mr. Grimes can give you a copy of the NRC meno detailing
' the 44 points of inadoquacy of the proposed Philadelphia Electric plan.
According to him, many of the decisions we were concerned about such as off-site planning for aninals, be ceterminea by t{-g{, better local stored feed and wa notification techniques etc. will e n
FEMA has not, and will not schedule a meeting here unless you force them to do so. There will be therefore no local input to their de-cisions. Yle have drawn our concerns from the Emergency Management sections of the Kemeny, Rogovin and Governor's Reports. It would be very anprocriate for such a meeting to be held, and as you c=n see from the press coverage our counterperts, and yours in Maryland, frequently so requested. ?!e were denied. I hoce you will be able to rectify the situation by holding such a meetinem To do so, to prove' tnat tne plans work and are properly funced will alleviate the tensions now being ignored. Sweeping the concerns under the rug causes loss of credibility and fear, the feeling we are expenddole. As Philadelphi:
Electric is now requesting enother facility at Fulton, surely it is not too much to ask that the acxisus be cone K0"i for safety.
Again, my thanks and apologies to you end Mr. Phillips for in-adequate notification, elthough I feel it is the NRC's responsibility not mine. I am also sorry I have no other viable antion to choose but to involve a Congressman in a question which rightly should be able to be resolved by the regulatory agency itself without requiring intervention from you. If they did their job right I wouldn't have to ask you. However, there is no other option.
Lanking-?cruard to be: ring from you about a meeting for our ares with FEMA, c-'
Sincerely yours,
^
Q)EDdE SOl k Vielden S. Randall (Mrs)
Contacts:
Mr. Brian K. Grimes, Emergency Management Division Mr. Raymond Friebe, Emergency E2nagement Division U.S. Kuclear Regulatory Commission 7lashington D.C. 20555 301-492-7860 or 492-7415 or 492-7846 O
Lancaster General Ho:.b.)
i55 NORTH DUKE ST., P.O. Box 3867, LANCASTER, PA 17604 717 299-5511
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May 5, 1980 h,-
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The Honorable Robert S. Walker Rocm 1028 Lengworth Building Washington, D.C.
20515
Dear Congressman Walker:
I a:preciate the prompt response which you and your staff gave to my request
, for HR6689 and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission materials. There were of great help to me in our recent meeting with Harold Centon of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission with the Pennsylvania Medical Society and a meeting held at Feach Ecttom regarding emergency planning for that f acility. My comment as regards HR6689, which l 'm sure you know is authorizing the appointment of the Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy Develcpment, Department of Agriculture, to me represents a major step in the right direction as f ar as bcth energy programs and as far as agricultural advancement. This may, in fact, be a way for the farmers finally to get adequate remuneration for their land.
I hope you would support this bill.
As far as the documents on the TMI cleanup, specifically the Howar or Derkes repcrts dated February 2Sth and 29th to the NRC, several things are rather disconcerting regarding this:
!) f*etrcpolitan Edison fiscal status is peor, if at all solvent. They have placed the cleanup on Three Mile Island on fourth priority and the investigator for the NRC feels that they may face bancruptcy.
This, of course, represents the situation in which cost cutting can well occur at the sacrifice of prudent safety measures.
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I think it is important for the public to knew that the Three Mile Island cleanup is going to persist for a long time and that intermittent releases mest likely will occur.
I've been in contact with the Environmental Protection Agency director at the Middletcwn site and he assures me that data wil! be available to the general oublic regarding releases from the plant. This should do a great deal to help allay some of the fears and anxieties surrounding this.
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,e The Honorable Robert S. Walker As far as the emergency planning meeting at Peach Bottom, it was apparent that the NRC is mainly concerned with the onsite emergency planning and FEMA will be concerned with the,ffiste planning, it also appears that monies available to FEMA are sparce if existant at all. As you know, Civit Defense and municipal f unctions in cur area are, i f anything, rudimentary and we will certainly be in need of funding from some sort.
I would appreciate any comments you may have regarding this.
Thank you for your continuing help in these matters.
Sincerely yours, d-John L. Randall, M.D.
Associate Di rector, Family and Community Medicine Program J LR/gi r
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