ML19332A198
| ML19332A198 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 08/28/1980 |
| From: | Dircks W NRC OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR OPERATIONS (EDO) |
| To: | Walker R HOUSE OF REP. |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8009110212 | |
| Download: ML19332A198 (2) | |
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Docket No. 50-320 AUG 2 81980 The Honorable Robert S. Walker United States House of Representatives Washington, D. C.
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Dear Congressman Walker:
I am writing in response to your note of J21y 9,1980, to Mr. Carlton Kannerer regarding the telephone call of July 2, *.230, from your constituent, Mr. Nelson Ginder.
Mr. Ginder's call was in reference to the purging of Kr-85 from the Unit 2 con-tainment building at Three Mila Island. Mr. Ginder referenced station WOAC as the source of a report of krypton being found in the soil around the area, and that krypton would subsequently be found in locally grown foods. It should be noted that the purge was essentially cogleted on July 11, 1980.
Responding to Mr. Ginder's concerns, we can coment on the reported finding of krypton gas in the soil around the TMI plant vicinity. For the reasons elaborated below, no soil sagles were taken during the conduct of the purge. Soil samples were not taken because knpton is a noble gas which is chemically inert and does not concentrate in the soil. As such, there are no significant food pathways for exposure to man from releases of radioactive krypton as a gaseous effluent from comercial nuclear power plants. Thus, there was no valid basis for taking soil sagles for analysis of krypton contamination during the conduct of the purge.
During the purge of the TMI-2 reactor building, transient concentrations of Kr-85 above normal background levels were detected, however, all measurements were well below Federal standards for concentrations of Kr-85 in unrestricted areas. When released from the TMI-2 plant stack, the Kr-85 rapidly ~ disperses in the earth's atmosphere and decays in accordance with its half-life (i.e.~,
10.7 years). Additionally, no radiactive particulates (e.g., Os-137) were detected in the stack effluent or from environmental atmospheric monitoring during the purge.
For your information, I an encicsing a copy of NUREG-0673, ~" Answers to Questions About Removing Krypton from the Three Mile Island, Unit 2 Reactor Building,"
which provides additional information about the properties of knpton.
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The Honorable Robert S. Walker 'I I!
- l I trust that this response adequately addresses your constituent's concerns.
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Sincerely, l;
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William J. Dircks, Acting Executive 1
Director for Operations
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Enclosure:
DISTRIBUTION:
NUREG-0673 Docket NRC PDR Local PDR TERA TMI P0 Reading TMI Site Reading l
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