ML19341C788
| ML19341C788 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 02/10/1981 |
| From: | Ahearne J NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| To: | Olson A NORTH DAKOTA, STATE OF |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19341C777 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8103040188 | |
| Download: ML19341C788 (2) | |
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k UNITED STATES Yl
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S NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
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February 10, 1981 OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN The Honorable Allen I. Olson Governor of North Dakota Bismarck,. North Dakota 58505
Dear Governor Olson:
In 1976, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission adopted recomendations suggested by State organizations, including the National Governors' Association, for streamlining the siting and environmental review process for nuclear facilities. One recommendation was that the States appoint a single person to act as a liaison officer to NRC to improve Federal / State cooperation. All Governors have responded and we now have 51 State-appointed liaison officers - 50 States and also the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
The NRC staff works closely with the appointed State Liaison Officers (SLO) on all aspects of our programs, including transportation of radioactive waste, siting, environmental matters, decommissioning, emergency response, notification and waste disposal.
The State liaison Officer provides a communication channel between the States and the NRC; is the key person in the State to keep the Governor informed on regulatory or emergency matters of interest to the Governor; keeps other State officials informed on regulatory or emergency matters as appropriate to their interests and/or responsibility; and provides information to NRC on State issues.
I believe the designated State Liaison Officer can be valuable to you.
Periodically, there is a need to get word to the Governor on a regulatory matter which might have high interest.
I would want you to be completely informed as early as possible and before your office received calls from the media or the public.
For example, shortly before the Three Mile Island accident, the NRC ordered the shutdown of a number of nuclear pour plants due to concern for inadequacy of the design to withstand earthquakes.
Concerned for the impact on ratepayers in the States served by those facilities, the NRC informed the Governors of those States by informing the State Liaison Officers. Also, more recently we notifiec' the Governors through the SLO's of the approved routes through their States for shipments of irradiated reactor fuel and the date this information was going to be made public.
Governor Link had designated Mr. Dana Mount, Director, Division of Environmental Engineering, Ncrth Dakota Department of Health, as the North Dakota liaison officer.
Therefore, I enceurage you to appoint a State liaison officer.
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i The Honorable Allen I. Olson 1 For' additional information, your staff may wish to contact Wayne Kerr, Director of our Office of State Programs. His telephone nut..ber is 301/492-8170.
4 We look forward to having a continued close working relationship with North Dakota.
jSi erely, I
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John F. Ahearne Chairman i
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