ML19344E181
| ML19344E181 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Crane  |
| Issue date: | 08/11/1980 |
| From: | Snyder B Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation |
| To: | Kilhefner M AFFILIATION NOT ASSIGNED |
| Shared Package | |
| ML19344E182 | List: |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8008280010 | |
| Download: ML19344E181 (2) | |
Text
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AUG 11 1980 Mrs. Madaline Kilhefner 332 East Cedar Street New Holland, Pennsylvania 17557
Dear Mrs. Kilhefner:
Your letter to the Commission expressing your opposition to nuclear power plants and to the release of contaminated water to the Susquehanna River has been referred to me for response.
I regret that this answer has been delayed for so long. The accident and its consequences have created a substantial increase in the agency's workload, which has prevented us from responding to you as promptly as we would have liked.
Except for releases to the Susquehanna River of liquids containing only low or nondetectable levels of radioactivity, the release of contaminated water is not currently permitted. The Commission has authorized use of the EPICOR-II water treatment system for processing the waste water stored in tanks in the auxiliary building. Je do not currently permit the discharge of water processed by the EPICOR-II system. The disposal of the water processed by EPICOR. rI will be addressed 'in the programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) being pre-pared on the decontamination and disposal of radioactive wastes at Three Mile Island. Copies of the PEIS will be made available for public comment. Metro-politan Edison has not yet submitted a proposal on the disposal method of the decontaminated water.
As a result of releases containing.only low or nondetectable levels of radio-activity, the levels of radioactivity in the Susquehanna are indistinguishable from existing background levels at public water supply intakes from the river.
These levels have been confirmed by independent measurements made by the NRC, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
With regard to your comments about phasing out nuclear power plants, NRC's primary responsibility consists in the licensing, inspection, and enforcement of regulations for nuclear power plants in the interest of public health and safety and for the protection of the environment.
Changes in NRC's regulatory responsibilities can stem from the public's will and the resulting Congressional action. There was a pause in the licensing of nuclear power plants from the time of the accident until Febrt.ary 29, 1980, so that recommendations of the Kemeny Commission and the NRC staff could be evaluated and those relevant to licensing could be implemented.
,80082800\\0
p-f I IS80 Mrs. Madaline Kilhefner 2-We appreciate your concerns and assure you that every effort is being made to ensure the continued protection of the health and safety of the public, not only at Three Mile Island, but also at all nuclear power plants.
Sincerely,
&G. tu'A Bernard J.
r, Program Director Three Mile Island Program Office Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
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