ML20023D178
| ML20023D178 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Indian Point  |
| Issue date: | 05/11/1983 |
| From: | Galef S WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY |
| To: | Palladino N NRC COMMISSION (OCM) |
| References | |
| NUDOCS 8305190342 | |
| Download: ML20023D178 (6) | |
Text
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~*I' WESTCHESTER COUNTY BOARD OF'LEGIS N'tTORS L
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,7-ff (914) 682-7651 SANDRA R. GAI.EF MaY 11'1983 Rr
, ~~rct" An I.egislation LagisLxtor, 2nd District mmittae-ofi Community Affairs, 44 orchard Drive ossining-on Hudson, N.Y.10562 Health & Hospitals 914 762 5050 Nunzio J.Palladino, Chairman Nuclear Regulatory Commission United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission
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Washington, D. C.
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Dear Chairman Palladino:
"*'*4 I do not pretend to be an expert in the field of nuclear energy but rather a co'ncerned resident within the 10 mile radius of Indian Point and a member of the Westchester County Baord of Legislators representing approximately 40,000 constituents within the 10 mile zone and a person with an opinion about the adequacy of the emergency evacuation plans for the nuclear plants in Buchanan.
Early in 1981 after the original evacuation plans were released, our Board had several legislative committee meetings to review the components of the plan proposed by the utilities and their consultants.
At that point, there were many questions and concerns with the plans that had not been addressed such as:
How would all the necessary emergency personnel be trained and equipped?
How would this be financed?
Would the designated reception ce-nters be provided with adequate supplies for emergency use?
Would the emergency planners provide the necessary supplies?
Would the county bus drivers commit to the job assigned to them by the planners?
Would the handicapped and the elderly homebound be identified and assigned protection services?
It is more than 24 months later and many 120 day clocks later and these and other questions are still being asked with no resolve in sight.
I suppose at this point, we know there is and can never be a commitment by the bus drivers of the County to come into the evacuation area and perform their assigned job when their primary concern is to respond to their own individual family needs.
8305190342 830511 PDR ADOCK 05000247 C
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Pago 2 In a resolution passed by the Town Board of Ossining on March 22, 1983, the Town States:
"the emergency personnel in the Town of Ossining, as well as the County of Westchester, has not received an adequate number of safety devices to properly protect themselves in the event of an emergency...
and there has been and still remains a severe limitation for adequate communications between local, state and county police agencies in many communities throughout Westchester County and within the Counties in the 10 mile radius.
More than two years have lapsed since the people within the 10 mile radius have received an updated emergency plan through the mail.
There is no evidence that Sr. Citizen programs in my community have been contacted in any significant or meaningful way to locate the frail elderly or the handicapped who would need emergency ascistance.
One cannot say that our emergency evacuation plans have been exemplary or realistic.
In order to determine the opinions of my constituents within the 10 mile radius and others in my district but outside the lo miles, two random assessments were made - one, a written questionnaire _to all constituents and one a telephone survey of 500 Westchester residents.
My questionnaire stated,"While the County does not regulate the Indian Point nuclear plants, it does monitor them and does play a role in emergency planning.
Some people feel the plants are unsafe and uneconomical and should be closed.
Others say they are not unsafe and point out that closure would raise electricity bills by about 10 percent." What is your opinion about Indian Point?
From 405 returns,.51% said close Indian Point and 49% said keep Indian Point open.
Additionally, Roger Seasonwein Associates of New Rochelle agreed to conduct an opinion poll for the County of Westchester addressing many questions relating to Indian Point.
400 respondants lived outside the 10 mile zone and 100 respondants lived inside the 10 mile zone.
When asked on the telephone if the plants should remain open or closed, 47% responded to close the plant, 47% to keep it open and 7% undecided.
In another question about the increase in electric rates if the plants were to shut down, the majority of respondants (27%) thought the cost would go up 20%.
47% of the people questioned by phone believed the plant to be basically unsafe - with 45% suggesting it was safe.
The strongest argument opposing the opening of the power plants from residents within the 10 mile radius (63%)
was the belief that it was impossible to evacuate the Indian Point 10 mile radius in light of the numbers of people to be moved, the -
existing road network and the lack of protective equipment.
Respondants within the 10 mile radius stated:
The Emergency Booklet was received by 47% of those questioned 45% of those responding yes has read or glanced at it 31% of those responding yes have the booklet 25% of those responding yes know where it is
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F When acked if they would follow a predesignated route in the event of an amergsncy,31% responded yes and 69% responded no.
Of those knowing about a predesignated route, 56% stated they would leave the best way they knew how.
If there was an evacuation during school hours, 92% of the respondants were not aware of the reception center their child would be taken to.
The most significant figures - from this opinion poll indicate that we have an Emergency Evacuation Plan that 63% of the Westchester population say is impossible to follow and a Plan where 69% of the residents in the 10 mile radius state they will not follow a predesignated route.
The only reason I hear for not closing the nuclear plants is purely 2
economics.
The week of April 18, 1983, was an enlightening week re-garding the finances of the plant and the fiscal impact on utility customers.
Last week we saw financial quotes of 18 billion dollars to 2.9 billion dollars, or a cost of $38.50 per month projected by the utility to $1 per month estimated by the opponents of the power plants.
Later in the week, a panel of NRC experts concluded that the cost of alternative energy in the event of a shutdown would be 4 - 5.2 billion i
dollars - similar to the costs predicted by private consultants hired by the New York City Council.
Far different from the costs projected by the utilities.
No doubt, my constituents and others in Westchester who based their i
decisions on how it will affect their pockets will reconsider their positions in light of this new information.
I believe that peace of
-mind and the health and safety of our f amilies is worth every dollar spent - especially with the knowledge that in the event of a nuclear emergency we will not be able to successfully-evacuate the area nor could we ever then recoup our economic and health losses after such an incident.
There is also an area of nuclear energy that we fail to address in many of our discussions - that is nuclear weste disposal.
After speaking with an expert in the nuclear field and a strong proponent of nuclear energy, I was shocked to hear him express his deep concern over the nuclear waste dilemma.
He even stated that until we resolve I
the question of how to dispose of waste, we should stop creating the waste.
That was the strongest statement I ever heard from a supporter of nuclear energy.
I would like to conclude with a story told to me by a lovely and thoughtful woman living in Ossining New York, now but who lived in Europe during WWII.
She was a teacher during this period of history and was given specific instructions on how to evacuate her classroom during an emergency situation.
In fact, she and her colleagues had several trial runs or drills to perfect the emergency evacuation plan.
The teachers practiced driving their assigned students by car many miles from school into a safety zone.
Then one day my friend heard the alarms and thought that this was a real emergency - not a drill.
Instead of performing as she was instructed to and had rehearsed so many tbmes, she, instead, did what we all probably do.
She left her school, located her own children and fled in her car as quickly as l
possible.
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Paga 4 4
This was a real story - a real human response to a plan on paper.
We know that our emergency evacuation plans are not even real -
not even workable - not even accepted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a valid plan.
It seems clear to me that in addition to no contract with the private bus companies and no emergency support from Rockland County, that we have a plan representing a theory of words and not words of practicality.
A plan has been developed which can not be implemented and serves only to attempt to pacify the public.
The risk is too much for us to bear.
The facts suggest the plants should be closed immediately, I remain, Sincerely yours,
!+)
Sandra R.
Galef
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Legislator 2nd District SRG:ld Attachment O
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The Westchester County Legislature is interested in your opinion, particularly now as the 1983 budget is being drawn up. Please take a fsw moments to answer the questions and mail them back. Wu can use the questionnaire as a self<naller by folding it with my address on the outside, or you can use an envelope. If more than one voter is filling out this form, use a separate checkmark(-) f or each person.
1: Cutbacks in federal and stats aid to local govemments may force Westchester to cut back on certain services in order to keep taxes down. Please show your priorities for cutbacks,if necessary, by checking the appropriate box below.
Cut back Cut only as last resort Do not cut @*
No opinion Public Safety Dept.
35 %
.99 9.
Vf, Office for the Aging 239e
'?69o W "/o Bus System E 9.
9V O.
Fo 6.
Parks and Recreation
"?S9o
.7f 9.
J7%
Community College 3 y 9o
.71'Co
.7S82p_
. M Oo
.299.
'2 2 9e V;terans Services Consumer Protection 77 9, 13%
80 F.
Arts in Westchester 69.
_99 9a
/d C.
Civil Legal Services for Poor S P 9a
.3f %_,
S > C, M:ntal Health Programs So 9.
Y/ 9a 249.
Alcohol / Drug Abuse Programs 22 9.
Y3 9.
T r6o Ntighborttood Heafth Centers
'M Po NG 9o 2o %
Wuth Bureau 3 3 'J.
'I Y "A
.2 F T Day Care 3.2 %
't T Co_._
3390 District Attomey S2 G S76.
WQ County Medical Center
- '9 "b 9.
+'2 Co 2:If it proves necessary to increase revenues,'please indicate which of the following methods are preferable to you. If you favor more th'n one method, please number them in order of preference.
Favg[
Do not fapr No opinion Raise property tax
- 8/o P9 %
Institute Off Track Betting "A %
f7o 94 Institete real estate transfer tax D 76o
(. 3 9.
Institute hotel occupancy tax
'#'R O.
9 @o 3:The County is currently studying long-term development plans for the Playland Amusement Park in Rye. Please check the option that you f;vor.
Expand amusement park and bring in more major rides Mb TN Keep Playland as is Dismantle amusement arca but keep Playland as a park 3 P 9.
No opinion Should a waterfront hotel be built in conjunction with any of the above plans? Yes
'V8 No No SO Ya Noopinion 4:The nighttime flight curfew at the County Airport is currently under court challenge, and could face modification.Those living near the tirport want the curfew because they say aircraft disturb their sleep. Others say that a 24 hour2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> airport is needed for Westchesters economic health. How do you feel about the nighttime flight curfew,in effect from midnight to 7 a.m.7 Keep the curfew N No Eliminate the curfew N h*
No opkon 5: While the County does not regulate the Indian Point nuclear plants,it does monitor them and does play a role in emergency planning.
Soms people feel the plants are unsafe and uneconomical and should be closed. Others say they are not unsafe and point out that clorure would raise electricity bills by about 10 percent. What is your opinion about Indian Point?
Close Indian Point N 90 Keep indian Point open
'Y I 9a No opinion 6: This year budget cutbacks forced curtailment of the " Bicycle Sundays" program in which a portion of the Bronx River Parkway is closed to cars f rom 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Sunday and opened to bicycle riders. Normally in ef feet all summer long, this years curtailed progrun was not in etfeet durin July and August. Each Bicycle Sunday costs the County $1,200. How do you feel about this program?
Restore full program Mo Keep partial program Tb Eliminateprogram 7No No opinion 7: Thrre has been a growing debate about future industrial and commercial development in Westchester. Many of Westchester's older downtowns have lost business while the semi-rural and less-populated portions of Westchester have experienced major growth. Some plannars say the County should not discourage this trend. Other planners say the County should take measures to steer f uture develop-ment to downtown areas instead. How do you feel?
Continue present trend M 9o Steer development to downtowns instead 7I ho No c ilnlon
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p, WHEREAS, the Town Board of the Town of Ossining has continuously cooperated with the efforts to promulgate a workable &mrgency Plan for the potential of an incident at the Indian Point Nuclear Facility and WHEREAS, emergency workers who are being trained have been instructed to wear on their person at least two safety devices for the recording of radiation such as a T.L.D. and a dostmeter and WHEREAS, the emergency personnel in the Town of Ossining, as well as the County of Westchester, has not received an.
adequate number of safety devices to properly protect themselves in the event of an emergency and WHEREAS, there has been and still remains a severe limitation for adequate radio communications between local, state and county police agencies in many communities throughout Westchester County and within the counties in the 10 mile radius and WHEREAS, inadequate funding for the provision of these.very basic requirements of a realistic and workable Safety Response Plan have not'yet been provided, now therefore be it RESOLVED, that the Town Board of the Town of Ossining requests that the Legislature of the State of New York provide immediate and adequate funding for emergency equipment to the communities within the ten mile area through a legislative act requiring additional contributions from the owners and operators of nuclear facilities and be it further RESOLVED, that an audit of the million and half dollars provided by the utilities for emergency response be made public and that the formula used be changed so that the individual communities can be provided with enough dollars for protective equipment for all emergency personnel, including police, fire, ambulance and public works employees, and be it further RESOLVED, that the Town Clerk send copies of this resolution to the Governor, the Speaker, the majority and minority leaders
,of the Legislat'ure, the members of the Westchester delegation of the New York State Legislature, the members of the County Board of Legislators, Con Edison and P. A.S.N.Y.
f Adopted:
March 22, 1983 l
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