ML19329F910

Ack Receipt of Expressing Concern About Proposed Facility Purging.Decision on How to Best Remove Kr-85 Contained in Reactor Bldg Not Reached.Review of Mechanism for Selecting Panelists for Advisory Panel Underway

ML19329F910
Person / Time
Site:	Crane
Issue date:	06/09/1980
From:	Ahearne J NRC COMMISSION (OCM)
To:	Reed S PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONWEALTH OF
References
NUDOCS 8007110346
Download: ML19329F910 (5)

Text

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June 9, 1980 The Honorable Steven R. Reed Pennsylvania House of Representatives Harrisburg Pennsylvania 17120

Dear Mr. Reed:

Thank you for your letter of March 29, 1980 expressing your concern about the proposed purging of the krypton-85 (Kr-85) from the Three flile Island Unit 2 (THI-2) reactor building. Your letter also recomended the for-mation of a citizen group to provide an independent assessment of the purging proposal.

The Comission shares your concern and the possible effects of such a purge on the physical and mental well-bei.ig of the people in the icnediate vicinity of the reactor.

The Comission has not reached a decision on how best to remove the Kr-85 contained in the reacter building but expects to do so in the near future. I noted that you suggested the Union of Concerned Scientists be asked to review the venting proposal. As you know, Governor Thornburgh did make such a request and also asked the NRC to extend the coment period on the draft Environmental Assesment, which we did.

We have now under consideration the NRC staff's Final Environmental Assess-ment for the Decontamination of the Three Mile Island Unit 2 Reactor Building Atmosphere (NUREG-0662). We have also received a staff briefing on this document, a copy of which is enclosed for your information. This final assessment analyzes the recomendations of the Union of Concerned Scientists and Governor Thornburgh, as well as all other relevant reports and more than 700 public coments received in response to the solicitation for coments on the staff's draft assessment issued in March 1980.

On May 15,1980, the U.S. House of Representatives Comittee on Interior and Insular Affairs reported on the t<RC's FY 1981 Authorization legislation. As part of their action, the Comittee included a provision which would estab-lish a Three Mile Island Advisory Panel "to consult with and make recomenda-tions to the Comission on matters relating to the decontamination of the TMI-2 reactor." The proposed legislative language requiring flRC to establish such an Advisory Panel is enclosed.

We are now in the process of detamining tne most expeditious way to carry out this Conmittee provision. The Comission is proceeding on the basis of l

its present authority to establish such a panel and is exploring an appro-l priate mechanism for selecting panelists and drafting a suitabla procedure 8007110346 1

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The Honorable Steven R. Reed 2-under which the panel would operate. The panel will not, however, be estab-lished in time to review and submit reconnendations of the removal of the Kr-

85. We will work ciosely with the panel and thoroughly revicw and consider its reconinendations in fonnulating our decisions on the remaining issues associated with the TMI-2 decontaminatio effort.

Your letter also referenced the "Heidelberg Study" which was a radio-ecological assessment of the WHYL nuclear power plant located in the Federal Republic of Gennany.

I have enclosed a copy of a letter which we sent to Representative McCormack in February of this year regarding this report. A copy of the flRC staff's draft detailed evaluation of the report will be available for public connent in about two weeks. We will forward a copy of the staff draft upon publication.

Again, thank you for your connents.

Sincerely, original Sien44. R JohnF.Ahea m John F. Ahearne

Enclosures:

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0, The Honorable Stephen P. Reed Pennsylvania House of Representatives Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120 Dear f Reed:

Thank yo'u for your letter of !' arch 29, 1900, expressino your concern about the proposed pitrging of the Kr-85 contaminated atmosphere contained in the Three Mile Island Unit 2 reactor building.

First, let me s ete that the Comissioners have not rendered a decision concern-ing the NRC staff recommendation for controlled reactor buildino purcino as described in the Environmental Assessment of Decontamination of the Th~ree Mile Island Unit 2 Reacto' r Buildinq Atmosphere (MUREG-0662), issued March,1980 A

copy of NUREG-0662 and Addenda 1 and 2 thereto are enclosed for your information.

Please note that the Environmental Assessment does include consideration of alternative v.ethods for heatino the reactor building atnosphere. Second, at Governor Thornburgh's suggestion, the NRC extended the period for public coment on the aforenentioned Environmental Assessment to l'ay 16. The Governor requested this extension in order to provide a study group of the Union of Concerned Scien-ists an opportunity to conduct an independent review of the alternatives considered for the disposition of the contaminated reactor building atmosphere, including the alternative of reactor building qurging as recomended by the NRC staff.

We agree that citizen inout and independent assessment are very important factors in our decision-making process and we-intend to evaluate the forthcoming recom-mendations from Governor Thornburgh 'and the Union of Concerned Scientists before

.l we make a final decision on this issue.

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Sincerely, John F. Ahearne Chairman

Enclosure:

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The. Honorable Stepiien R. Reed Membert-Pennsylvania House of Representat'ves

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Dear Mr. Reed:

29!1980, expressing your concern about the Thank you for your letter of March proposed purging of the Kr-85 contardnated atmosphere contained in the Unit 2 reactor building.

First, let ne state that the Co issioners have not rendered a decision con-cerning the NRC staff recommen tion for controlled reactor building purging as described in the Environmental / Assessment of Decontamination of the Three Mile Island Unit 2 Reactor Buildiryg Atmosphere (NUREG-0662), issued March,1980. A copy of N'JREG-0662 and Addenda 1 and 2 thereto are enclosed for your information.

Please note that the EnvirpI1 mental Assessment dot.s include consideration of Thornburg has requested,Kyating the reactor building atmosphere. Second, G alternative methods for period for public comment on the aforementioned Environmental Assessment to May

16. The Governor requested th s extension in order to provide a study group of the Union of Concerned Scient sts an opportunity to conduct an independent review of the alternatives considere for the disposition of the contaminated reactor building atmosphere ( including the alternative of reactor building purging as reconenended by the/NRC staff.

We agree that ci zen input and independent assessment are very important factors in our decisionimaking process and we intend to evaluate the forthcoming recom-mendations from Governor Thornburgh and the Unkr. of Concerned Scientists before we make a final decision on thts issue.

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TRehm MGroff DShapar PKreutzer HDenton DDilanni ECase RReid The Honorable Stephen R. Reed Member, Pennsylvania House of Representatives Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120

Dear Mr. Reed:

Thank you for your letter of March 29, 1980, expressing your concern about the proposed purging of the Kr-85 contaminated atmosphere contained in the unit 2 reactor building.

y First, let me state that the Connissioners have not ren ed a decision con-cerning the NRC staff reconmendation for controlled

+ ' -c purging as described in the Environmental Assessment of Decontamination of the Three Mile Island Unit 2 Reactor Building Atmosphere (NUREG-0662), issued March,1930.~// @

Second, Governor Thornburg has requested and the NRC has under review a Nud6 W:2 suggestion to extend the period for public coment on the aforementioned da# h Environr.untal Assessment to day 16. The Governor requested this extension in / a.u/2 order to provide a study group of the Union of Concerned Scientiests an

%w opportunity to conduct ar. independent review of the alternatives considered for W the disposition of the contaminated reactor building atmospaere, including the y

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purgin as,recomended by the NRC staff.

We agree that citizen input and independent assessment are very important factors N

in our decision-making process and we intend to evaluate the forthcoming recom-k mendations from Governor Thornburgh and the Union of Concerned Scientists before N we make a final decision on this issue.

Sincerely, 4

%es John F. Ahearne 0CM s

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t HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMONWEALTH oF PCNNSYLVANIA HAR RIS B U RG March 29, 1980 Honorable John Ahearne, Chairman U.S.-Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, District of Columbia 20555

Dear Chairman Ahearne,

As you already know, there is considerable occosition to the present NRC-Metropolitan Edison Company plan to vent radioactive Krypton 85 into the atmosphere around Three Mile Island.

The full effects of low level radiation are not known

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as yet and the NRC nor Met Ed cannot guarantee the public's health from the exposure you now plan. Moreover, the last thirty years indicates a series of instances wherein " low level radiation expsoures" brought about serious health impact, such as what happened in Utah.

The standards used by the NRC and Met Ed to measure radiation and exposures to it have been, in part, discredited by recently released review entitled the Heidelburg Study, and there is therefore doubt as to the accuracy or validity of the Hrypton venting plan's estimates reaardina exoosure.

There are options to your plan to vent Krypton which have not been explored by independent assessment. I strongly favor having a~ citizen group dominated independent assessment capa-bility, but to put that fully in place-takes additional time.

In view of your plans to vent Krypton beginning in April, I am writing to request that you immediately suspend those plans to allow time for an already in-place independent assess-ment to take place by such a noted group as the Union of Con-corned. Scientists.

l I have not ascertained the availability of the Union for this purpose, although a number of their-members were in

-Harrisburg this weekend for the TMI rally at the Capitol Complex.

It would not take a great deal of time to " crank up" the Union of Concerned Scientists to get busy on reviewing the o

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. March 29, 1980 Honorable John Ahearne Page Two Krypton 85 venting plan, I would imagine, but there is no point in contacting them about it if the NRC is not willing to suspend its' plan now.

That.is why I am' writing.

I do believe that independent assessment is important to the other phases of decontamination of Three Mile Island's Unit 2 and the citizen dominated effort, utilizing non-NRC and non-Met Ed personnel and expertise for that purpose, remains an agenda item for me, but for now suspension of the venting for Union review purposes is a more immediate need.

I appreciate your consideration of this suggestion.

The question 1is not whether. Unit 2's Containment Building should be decontaminated, but rather how it will be done. It is on that point that local opinion runs strong and independent assessment would lend credibility to whatever finnally results.

Y urs sincerely, l,

a STEPH i R.

REED State Representative cc: John Collins e

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